Nitrate
Springfield Utility Board
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0.526 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 1.53 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.612 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 1.65 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.637 ppm | 6 | 4 | ND - 1.80 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.468 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 1.40 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.358 ppm | 5 | 2 | ND - 1.73 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.449 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0610 ppm - 1.50 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water
EWG Health Guideline: 0.14 ppm
The EWG health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-06-26 | 1808E01001-I | ND |
| 2018-07-05 | 1808E04001-I | 0.116 ppm |
| 2018-07-11 | 1807A27001-I | 0.104 ppm |
| 2018-07-18 | 1807991001-I | 0.881 ppm |
| 2018-07-25 | 1807B73001-I | 1.53 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 1907C15001-I | 0.152 ppm |
| 2019-07-18 | 1907841001-I | ND |
| 2019-08-01 | 1908042001-I | 0.109 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 1908305001-I | 1.15 ppm |
| 2019-08-14 | 1908620001-I | 1.65 ppm |
| 2020-07-16 | 202007170409-I | ND |
| 2020-07-23 | 202007240137-I | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2020-07-23 | 202007240138-I | ND |
| 2020-07-28 | 202007290169-I | 0.810 ppm |
| 2020-09-08 | 2009320001-I | 1.11 ppm |
| 2020-09-17 | 202009180226-I | 1.80 ppm |
| 2021-07-07 | 202107090886-I-I | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2021-07-15 | 202107170069-I | ND |
| 2021-07-22 | 202107230146-I | 0.740 ppm |
| 2021-08-04 | 202108050382-I | 1.40 ppm |
| 2021-08-12 | 202108160334-I | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2022-07-13 | 380-9206-1-I | 0.0580 ppm |
| 2022-08-03 | 2208189-001-I | ND |
| 2022-08-05 | 2208339-001-I | ND |
| 2022-08-10 | 2208516-002-I | ND |
| 2022-08-10 | 2208519-002-I | 1.73 ppm |
| 2023-06-27 | 380-52640-1-I | 0.480 ppm |
| 2023-06-27 | 380-52638-1-I | 0.0960 ppm |
| 2023-06-27 | 380-52736-1-I | 1.50 ppm |
| 2023-07-27 | 380-56765-1-I | 0.0610 ppm |
| 2023-07-27 | 380-56764-1-I | 0.110 ppm |