Nitrate
City of Plano
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.124 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.102 ppm - 0.133 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.596 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.190 ppm - 0.712 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.401 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.174 ppm - 0.492 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.554 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.116 ppm - 0.710 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.556 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.539 ppm - 0.589 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.213 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.208 ppm - 0.218 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-10-02 | Q1450578008 | 0.121 ppm |
| 2014-10-02 | Q1450578007 | 0.133 ppm |
| 2014-10-02 | Q1450578006 | 0.132 ppm |
| 2014-10-02 | Q1450578005 | 0.132 ppm |
| 2014-10-02 | Q1450578004 | 0.102 ppm |
| 2015-04-15 | Q1514170006 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2015-04-15 | Q1514170005 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2015-04-15 | Q1514170004 | 0.712 ppm |
| 2015-04-15 | Q1514170001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2015-10-20 | Q1541011001 | 0.190 ppm |
| 2016-04-18 | Q1615334001 | 0.492 ppm |
| 2016-04-18 | Q1615334004 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2016-04-18 | Q1615334003 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2016-04-18 | Q1615334002 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2016-10-03 | Q1641452001 | 0.174 ppm |
| 2017-04-25 | Q1717097003 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2017-04-25 | Q1717097002 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2017-04-25 | Q1717097001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2017-10-13 | Q1753388007 | 0.116 ppm |
| 2018-01-22 | Q1802550004 | 0.548 ppm |
| 2018-01-22 | Q1802550003 | 0.589 ppm |
| 2018-01-22 | Q1802550002 | 0.539 ppm |
| 2018-01-22 | Q1802550001 | 0.546 ppm |
| 2019-10-14 | Q1972683007 | 0.216 ppm |
| 2019-10-14 | Q1972683010 | 0.208 ppm |
| 2019-10-14 | Q1972683009 | 0.218 ppm |
| 2019-10-14 | Q1972683008 | 0.209 ppm |