Nitrate
Lake County East Water Subdistrict
Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Click here to read more about nitrate.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.588 ppm | 13 | 13 | 0.410 ppm - 1.12 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.597 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.340 ppm - 0.980 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.546 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.260 ppm - 1.02 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.341 ppm | 19 | 18 | ND - 1.000 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.394 ppm | 21 | 21 | 0.170 ppm - 0.810 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.407 ppm | 11 | 10 | ND - 0.980 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 10 ppm
The legal limit for nitrate, established in 1962, was developed to protect infants from acute methemoglobinemia, a life-threatening disorder of oxygen transport in the body. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer and harm to the developing fetus.
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-27 | 20484 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2014-02-26 | 20896 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2014-03-19 | 21187 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2014-04-18 | 21605 | 0.860 ppm |
| 2014-05-21 | 22060 | 1.12 ppm |
| 2014-06-26 | 226603 | 0.560 ppm |
| 2014-07-31 | 23127 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2014-08-27 | 23500 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2014-09-23 | 23887 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2014-10-17 | 24221 | 0.410 ppm |
| 2014-11-26 | 24773 | 0.440 ppm |
| 2014-11-26 | 24773 | 0.440 ppm |
| 2014-12-19 | 119767 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2015-01-21 | 120204 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2015-02-24 | 120651 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2015-03-25 | 121036 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2015-04-17 | 26775 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2015-05-26 | 27325 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2015-06-24 | 27734 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2015-07-31 | 28250 | 0.540 ppm |
| 2015-08-18 | 28505 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2015-09-25 | 29039 | 0.340 ppm |
| 2015-10-30 | 29532 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2015-11-25 | 29897 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2015-12-28 | 30359 | 0.380 ppm |
| 2016-01-30 | 30818 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2016-02-05 | 30899 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-03-11 | 31389 | 0.970 ppm |
| 2016-04-29 | 32088 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2016-05-26 | 32462 | 1.02 ppm |
| 2016-06-28 | 32932 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2016-07-28 | 33384 | 0.410 ppm |
| 2016-08-26 | 33785 | 0.290 ppm |
| 2016-09-26 | 34227 | 0.260 ppm |
| 2016-10-24 | 34625 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2016-11-21 | 35021 | 0.340 ppm |
| 2016-12-16 | 129916 | 0.310 ppm |
| 2017-01-20 | 35871 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2017-02-17 | 36283 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2017-03-17 | 36683 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2017-04-26 | 37252 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2017-05-24 | 37653 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2017-06-20 | M17-21195-04 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2017-06-20 | 17-21195-04 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2017-07-18 | 17-23276-02 | 0.310 ppm |
| 2017-07-18 | M17-23276-02 | 0.310 ppm |
| 2017-08-22 | 17-26079-03 | 0.130 ppm |
| 2017-08-22 | M17-26079-03 | 0.130 ppm |
| 2017-09-19 | 17-28442-02 | ND |
| 2017-09-19 | M17-28442-02 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2017-10-23 | 17-30640-03 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2017-10-23 | M17-30640-03 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2017-11-20 | 17-32478-02 | 0.150 ppm |
| 2017-11-20 | M17-32478-02 | 0.150 ppm |
| 2017-12-19 | 17-34266-02 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2017-12-19 | M17-34266-02 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2018-01-09 | M18-10545-03 | 0.230 ppm |
| 2018-01-09 | 18-10545-03A | 0.230 ppm |
| 2018-02-13 | 18-12779-07 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2018-02-13 | M18-12779-07 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2018-03-14 | M18-14693-04 | 0.270 ppm |
| 2018-04-10 | 18-16526-03A | 0.810 ppm |
| 2018-04-10 | M18-16526-03 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2018-05-08 | 18-18593-07 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2018-05-08 | M18-18593-07 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | 18-21553-03 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | M18-21553-03 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2018-07-10 | M18-23986-03 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2018-07-10 | M18-23986-03 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2018-08-08 | M18-26716-07 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2018-08-08 | 18-26716-07 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2018-09-11 | M18-29551-03 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2018-09-11 | 18-29551-03 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2018-10-10 | 18-32312-03 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2018-10-10 | M18-32312-03 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2018-11-14 | 18-34949-07 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2018-12-11 | 18-36841-03 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2019-01-08 | 19-11091-01A | 0.250 ppm |
| 2019-02-12 | M19-12878-07 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2019-03-12 | 19-15330-03 | 0.320 ppm |
| 2019-03-25 | 121036 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2019-04-09 | 19-17025-03A | 0.500 ppm |
| 2019-05-14 | 19-19682-07 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2019-06-11 | 19-22007-03 | 0.340 ppm |
| 2019-07-09 | 19-24438-03 | 0.270 ppm |
| 2019-08-13 | M19-27624-07 | 0.190 ppm |
| 2019-09-10 | 19-30116-03 | 0.120 ppm |
| 2019-10-08 | 19-32804-01 | ND |