Nitrate

Ocean Lakes Ltd

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

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	ND	3	0	ND
2015	0.0333 ppm	3	1	ND - 0.1000 ppm
2016	0.0800 ppm	3	2	ND - 0.140 ppm
2017	0.0243 ppm	3	1	ND - 0.0730 ppm
2018	0.270 ppm	3	2	ND - 0.520 ppm
2019	0.197 ppm	3	2	ND - 0.370 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
2014-09-11	AD45430	ND
2014-09-11	AD45431	ND
2014-09-11	AD45429	ND
2015-08-24	AD59906	0.1000 ppm
2015-08-24	AD59907	ND
2015-08-24	AD59908	ND
2016-08-31	AD81651	ND
2016-08-31	AD81641	0.140 ppm
2016-08-31	AD81647	0.1000 ppm
2017-08-03	AD98574	ND
2017-08-03	AD98576	0.0730 ppm
2017-08-03	AD98575	ND
2018-09-18	AE18009	0.290 ppm
2018-09-18	AE18010	0.520 ppm
2018-09-18	AE18011	ND
2019-08-19	AE35559	ND
2019-08-19	AE35560	0.370 ppm
2019-08-19	AE35556	0.220 ppm