Nitrate
Frankston Rural Water Supply Corporation
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 | 0.0229 ppm | 4 | 3 | ND - 0.0338 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0254 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0188 ppm - 0.0339 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0175 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0131 ppm - 0.0205 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0301 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0238 ppm - 0.0463 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0329 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0294 ppm - 0.0359 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0271 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0204 ppm - 0.0409 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-20 | Q1811175007 | ND |
| 2018-03-20 | Q1811175013 | 0.0269 ppm |
| 2018-03-20 | Q1811175014 | 0.0338 ppm |
| 2018-03-20 | Q1811175006 | 0.0309 ppm |
| 2019-04-16 | Q1915468001 | 0.0339 ppm |
| 2019-04-16 | Q1915468002 | 0.0288 ppm |
| 2019-04-16 | Q1915468003 | 0.0201 ppm |
| 2019-04-16 | Q1915468019 | 0.0188 ppm |
| 2020-10-28 | Q2041673014 | 0.0131 ppm |
| 2020-10-28 | Q2041673015 | 0.0160 ppm |
| 2020-10-28 | Q2041673016 | 0.0205 ppm |
| 2020-10-28 | Q2041673017 | 0.0203 ppm |
| 2021-08-05 | Q2120747012 | 0.0238 ppm |
| 2021-08-05 | Q2120747031 | 0.0264 ppm |
| 2021-08-05 | Q2120747022 | 0.0463 ppm |
| 2021-08-05 | Q2120747013 | 0.0240 ppm |
| 2022-10-21 | Q2232000014 | 0.0306 ppm |
| 2022-10-21 | Q2232000015 | 0.0355 ppm |
| 2022-10-21 | Q2232000016 | 0.0294 ppm |
| 2022-11-16 | Q2234518003 | 0.0359 ppm |
| 2023-04-12 | Q2313663001 | 0.0266 ppm |
| 2023-04-12 | Q2313663002 | 0.0409 ppm |
| 2023-04-12 | Q2313663003 | 0.0204 ppm |
| 2023-04-12 | Q2313663004 | 0.0205 ppm |