Nitrate
Rogersville Water System
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 | 0.373 ppm | 2 | 1 | ND - 0.746 ppm |
| 2019 | 1.05 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.956 ppm - 1.15 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.969 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.847 ppm - 1.09 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.841 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.788 ppm - 0.894 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.754 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.671 ppm - 0.837 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.932 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.906 ppm - 0.940 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 |
|---|---|
| 2018-01-09 | 0.746 ppm |
| 2018-03-27 | ND |
| 2019-01-09 | 1.15 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | 0.956 ppm |
| 2020-01-13 | 0.847 ppm |
| 2020-03-03 | 1.09 ppm |
| 2021-01-12 | 0.788 ppm |
| 2021-03-15 | 0.894 ppm |
| 2022-01-11 | 0.671 ppm |
| 2022-01-11 | 0.671 ppm |
| 2022-03-08 | 0.837 ppm |
| 2022-03-08 | 0.837 ppm |
| 2023-01-11 | 0.940 ppm |
| 2023-01-11 | 0.940 ppm |
| 2023-01-11 | 0.940 ppm |
| 2023-03-14 | 0.906 ppm |