Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate

North Penn Water Authority

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.

 

151

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

149

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20182.49 ppm32320.162 ppm - 4.52 ppm
20192.76 ppm3029ND - 4.81 ppm
20202.74 ppm30300.150 ppm - 4.76 ppm
20212.76 ppm2625ND - 4.85 ppm
20222.80 ppm22220.300 ppm - 4.98 ppm
20232.07 ppm11110.620 ppm - 3.58 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
2018-01-22201802874.25 ppm
2018-01-22201802883.39 ppm
2018-01-22201802894.13 ppm
2018-01-22201802904.13 ppm
2018-04-02201812480.688 ppm
2018-04-02201812494.52 ppm
2018-04-02201812504.03 ppm
2018-04-02201812514.11 ppm
2018-04-02201812522.51 ppm
2018-04-02201812531.46 ppm
2018-04-02201812542.71 ppm
2018-05-14201819060.858 ppm
2018-05-14201819071.08 ppm
2018-05-14201819083.33 ppm
2018-05-14201819101.98 ppm
2018-05-14201819090.247 ppm
2018-06-04201820872.13 ppm
2018-07-23201828080.752 ppm
2018-07-23201828094.03 ppm
2018-07-23201828103.90 ppm
2018-07-23201828112.54 ppm
2018-07-23201828121.62 ppm
2018-07-23201828132.52 ppm
2018-07-23201828142.60 ppm
2018-08-13201830840.749 ppm
2018-08-13201830851.04 ppm
2018-08-13201830862.38 ppm
2018-08-13201830871.64 ppm
2018-08-13201830880.162 ppm
2018-10-01201837293.00 ppm
2018-10-01201837303.97 ppm
2018-11-07201842473.30 ppm
2019-01-21201902163.81 ppm
2019-01-21201902173.61 ppm
2019-01-21201902184.76 ppm
2019-04-01201911890.912 ppm
2019-04-01201911901.03 ppm
2019-04-01201911910.687 ppm
2019-04-01201911923.74 ppm
2019-04-01201911934.34 ppm
2019-04-01201911942.76 ppm
2019-05-219054400-014.81 ppm
2019-05-219054400-023.50 ppm
2019-05-219054400-032.71 ppm
2019-05-219054400-042.91 ppm
2019-05-219054400-05ND
2019-06-259065221-011.86 ppm
2019-08-05201929710.968 ppm
2019-08-05201929721.21 ppm
2019-08-05201929730.717 ppm
2019-08-05201929742.96 ppm
2019-08-19201932864.81 ppm
2019-08-19201932811.48 ppm
2019-08-19201932873.88 ppm
2019-08-19201932823.91 ppm
2019-08-19201932832.81 ppm
2019-08-19201932842.22 ppm
2019-08-19201932850.165 ppm
2019-11-18201945504.76 ppm
2019-11-18201945513.18 ppm
2019-11-18201945523.74 ppm
2019-11-18201945534.51 ppm
2020-01-0621347776.004.35 ppm
2020-01-0621347778.003.59 ppm
2020-01-0621347780.003.54 ppm
2020-01-0621347782.004.36 ppm
2020-05-0522023913.004.76 ppm
2020-05-0522023915.003.73 ppm
2020-05-0522023917.002.21 ppm
2020-05-0522023919.003.35 ppm
2020-05-0522023921.003.57 ppm
2020-05-0522023923.002.77 ppm
2020-06-0122216035.000.930 ppm
2020-06-0122216037.001.22 ppm
2020-06-0122216039.000.710 ppm
2020-06-0122216041.002.71 ppm
2020-06-0122216043.000.200 ppm
2020-07-0622417018.000.960 ppm
2020-07-0622417020.001.22 ppm
2020-07-0622417022.000.710 ppm
2020-07-0622417024.004.64 ppm
2020-07-0622417026.003.30 ppm
2020-07-1322607210.001.58 ppm
2020-07-1322607212.003.51 ppm
2020-07-1322607214.004.04 ppm
2020-07-1322607216.002.78 ppm
2020-07-1322607218.002.72 ppm
2020-07-1322607220.000.150 ppm
2020-10-0523182487.004.33 ppm
2020-10-0523182489.002.92 ppm
2020-10-0523182491.003.42 ppm
2020-10-0523182493.004.03 ppm
2021-01-0423712428.004.75 ppm
2021-01-0423712430.003.44 ppm
2021-01-0423712432.003.68 ppm
2021-01-0423712434.004.03 ppm
2021-04-0524060836.004.33 ppm
2021-04-0524060839.002.15 ppm
2021-04-0524060842.003.45 ppm
2021-04-0524060845.003.40 ppm
2021-05-0524248324.001.03 ppm
2021-05-0524248327.001.25 ppm
2021-05-0524248330.000.710 ppm
2021-05-0524248333.003.49 ppm
2021-05-0524248336.002.92 ppm
2021-05-1824438660.00ND
2021-07-0624638969.004.45 ppm
2021-07-0624638971.002.58 ppm
2021-07-0624638973.001.48 ppm
2021-07-0624638975.003.47 ppm
2021-07-0624638977.004.00 ppm
2021-08-1725023329.003.12 ppm
2021-09-0825023970.001.19 ppm
2021-09-0825023972.000.690 ppm
2021-09-0825023974.002.94 ppm
2021-10-0425221025.003.52 ppm
2021-10-1925404559.004.85 ppm
2021-10-1925404562.000.870 ppm
2022-02-0926117625.004.98 ppm
2022-02-0926117627.003.87 ppm
2022-02-0926117629.003.89 ppm
2022-04-2726464113.000.810 ppm
2022-04-2726464115.003.63 ppm
2022-04-2726464117.003.66 ppm
2022-04-2726464119.002.85 ppm
2022-05-0326648477.001.33 ppm
2022-05-0426464702.004.90 ppm
2022-05-0426464704.004.04 ppm
2022-05-0426464706.003.23 ppm
2022-05-1626648479.004.00 ppm
2022-05-1626648481.000.410 ppm
2022-05-1626648483.000.300 ppm
2022-08-0327037753.000.920 ppm
2022-08-0327037755.001.22 ppm
2022-08-0327037757.000.640 ppm
2022-08-0327037759.003.59 ppm
2022-08-0327037761.003.70 ppm
2022-08-0327037763.002.90 ppm
2022-11-0227642038.003.30 ppm
2022-11-0227642040.003.42 ppm
2023-01-1928173392.003.58 ppm
2023-02-2228349558.003.45 ppm
2023-04-2628702445.000.980 ppm
2023-04-2628702447.001.18 ppm
2023-04-2628702449.000.730 ppm
2023-05-0228900775.003.34 ppm
2023-08-2229497673.000.990 ppm
2023-08-2229497675.001.09 ppm
2023-08-2229497677.000.620 ppm
2023-08-2229497679.003.28 ppm
2023-11-1330071586.003.57 ppm