Nitrate
West Knox Utility District
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 | 0.474 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.395 ppm - 0.553 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.694 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.687 ppm - 0.701 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.474 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.464 ppm - 0.484 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.361 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.334 ppm - 0.388 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.536 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.535 ppm - 0.537 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.305 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.294 ppm - 0.315 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 | Result |
|---|---|
| 2018-07-19 | 0.553 ppm |
| 2018-07-19 | 0.395 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 0.687 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 0.701 ppm |
| 2020-07-10 | 0.464 ppm |
| 2020-07-10 | 0.484 ppm |
| 2021-07-08 | 0.388 ppm |
| 2021-07-08 | 0.334 ppm |
| 2022-07-12 | 0.537 ppm |
| 2022-07-12 | 0.535 ppm |
| 2023-07-10 | 0.294 ppm |
| 2023-07-10 | 0.315 ppm |