Nitrate
B C Y 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 | 0.0192 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0124 ppm - 0.0365 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0171 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0123 ppm - 0.0273 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0195 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0127 ppm - 0.0373 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0225 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0139 ppm - 0.0396 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0184 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0121 ppm - 0.0296 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0195 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0140 ppm - 0.0301 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-06-21 | Q1824846003 | 0.0149 ppm |
| 2018-06-21 | Q1824846008 | 0.0124 ppm |
| 2018-06-21 | Q1824846009 | 0.0131 ppm |
| 2018-06-21 | Q1824846002 | 0.0365 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | Q1910550004 | 0.0133 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | Q1910550008 | 0.0123 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | Q1910550013 | 0.0153 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | Q1910550018 | 0.0273 ppm |
| 2020-02-10 | Q2005314017 | 0.0373 ppm |
| 2020-02-10 | Q2005314018 | 0.0127 ppm |
| 2020-03-02 | Q2007756004 | 0.0136 ppm |
| 2020-03-02 | Q2007756009 | 0.0142 ppm |
| 2021-09-21 | Q2125818010 | 0.0396 ppm |
| 2021-09-21 | Q2125818015 | 0.0202 ppm |
| 2021-09-21 | Q2125818014 | 0.0163 ppm |
| 2021-09-21 | Q2125818013 | 0.0139 ppm |
| 2022-10-27 | Q2232551002 | 0.0169 ppm |
| 2022-10-27 | Q2232551007 | 0.0296 ppm |
| 2022-10-27 | Q2232551008 | 0.0121 ppm |
| 2022-10-27 | Q2232551009 | 0.0149 ppm |
| 2023-01-10 | Q2301214001 | 0.0140 ppm |
| 2023-01-10 | Q2301214002 | 0.0190 ppm |
| 2023-05-01 | Q2316259001 | 0.0301 ppm |
| 2023-11-13 | Q2348410002 | 0.0148 ppm |