Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate

Pittsburgh Water & Sewer 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.

 

35

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

35

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.638 ppm440.500 ppm - 0.740 ppm
20190.655 ppm440.530 ppm - 0.790 ppm
20200.552 ppm550.340 ppm - 0.760 ppm
20210.458 ppm880.320 ppm - 0.710 ppm
20220.550 ppm990.380 ppm - 0.830 ppm
20230.550 ppm550.380 ppm - 0.830 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
2018-03-0118C0104-030.740 ppm
2018-05-0218E0265-010.500 ppm
2018-08-1018H1250-010.710 ppm
2018-11-1918K1736-010.600 ppm
2019-02-0619B0869-010.790 ppm
2019-05-2119E2495-010.570 ppm
2019-08-0719H1554-010.530 ppm
2019-12-0319L1205-010.730 ppm
2020-02-0521752603.000.760 ppm
2020-05-0522310190.000.490 ppm
2020-08-0422895328.000.490 ppm
2020-09-3023621148.000.340 ppm
2020-12-1423621146.000.680 ppm
2021-02-0223970337.000.710 ppm
2021-05-2524535207.000.460 ppm
2021-05-2524535208.000.460 ppm
2021-09-2225309599.000.360 ppm
2021-09-2725309693.000.320 ppm
2021-10-2725495133.000.400 ppm
2021-11-0225672560.000.470 ppm
2021-11-0225672561.000.480 ppm
2022-02-0326198692.000.830 ppm
2022-02-0326198691.000.820 ppm
2022-05-1826744064.000.630 ppm
2022-05-1826744065.000.640 ppm
2022-08-0127335522.000.390 ppm
2022-08-2227335645.000.440 ppm
2022-08-2227335644.000.440 ppm
2022-11-0227907716.000.380 ppm
2022-11-0227907717.000.380 ppm
2023-02-0628431336.000.830 ppm
2023-05-1829001686.000.380 ppm
2023-08-2229597696.000.510 ppm
2023-08-2229597694.000.510 ppm
2023-11-1530157326.000.520 ppm