Nitrate
Four Way Special 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 | 0.101 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0217 ppm - 0.226 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0803 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0309 ppm - 0.138 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0666 ppm | 4 | 3 | ND - 0.198 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0714 ppm | 4 | 3 | ND - 0.146 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.120 ppm | 4 | 3 | ND - 0.224 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0622 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0109 ppm - 0.110 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-08 | Q1809770006 | 0.226 ppm |
| 2018-03-08 | Q1809770007 | 0.0217 ppm |
| 2018-03-08 | Q1809770008 | 0.126 ppm |
| 2018-03-08 | Q1809770005 | 0.0322 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | Q1931189001 | 0.0462 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | Q1931189002 | 0.138 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | Q1931189003 | 0.0309 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | Q1931189004 | 0.106 ppm |
| 2020-06-17 | Q2024644007 | 0.0393 ppm |
| 2020-08-11 | Q2031797016 | 0.198 ppm |
| 2020-08-11 | Q2031797017 | 0.0289 ppm |
| 2020-08-11 | Q2031797018 | ND |
| 2021-06-02 | Q2114209013 | 0.0410 ppm |
| 2021-06-02 | Q2114209016 | 0.0985 ppm |
| 2021-06-02 | Q2114209015 | ND |
| 2021-06-02 | Q2114209014 | 0.146 ppm |
| 2022-03-07 | Q2207619004 | 0.224 ppm |
| 2022-03-07 | Q2207619005 | 0.145 ppm |
| 2022-03-07 | Q2207619006 | ND |
| 2022-03-07 | Q2207619007 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2023-04-24 | Q2315229001 | 0.0250 ppm |
| 2023-06-05 | Q2320826014 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2023-06-05 | Q2320826015 | 0.0109 ppm |
| 2023-06-05 | Q2320826016 | 0.103 ppm |