Nitrate
Afton Grove 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 | 0.0243 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0149 ppm - 0.0332 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0353 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0343 ppm - 0.0363 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0254 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0229 ppm - 0.0279 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0374 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0311 ppm - 0.0437 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0272 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0261 ppm - 0.0282 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0260 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0236 ppm - 0.0283 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-10-30 | Q1843880001 | 0.0247 ppm |
| 2018-10-30 | Q1843880002 | 0.0332 ppm |
| 2018-10-30 | Q1843880003 | 0.0149 ppm |
| 2019-11-25 | Q1978271001 | 0.0363 ppm |
| 2019-11-25 | Q1978271002 | 0.0343 ppm |
| 2020-07-30 | Q2029900001 | 0.0229 ppm |
| 2020-07-30 | Q2029900002 | 0.0279 ppm |
| 2021-03-04 | Q2105804001 | 0.0437 ppm |
| 2021-03-04 | Q2105804002 | 0.0311 ppm |
| 2022-06-13 | Q2216380001 | 0.0261 ppm |
| 2022-06-13 | Q2216380002 | 0.0282 ppm |
| 2023-10-12 | Q2343556001 | 0.0236 ppm |
| 2023-10-12 | Q2343556002 | 0.0283 ppm |