Nitrate
North Texas Municipal Water District Wylie Water Treatment Plant
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 | 1.41 ppm | 6 | 6 | 1.38 ppm - 1.45 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.571 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.446 ppm - 0.643 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.526 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.270 ppm - 0.737 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.0810 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0688 ppm - 0.0931 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.241 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0222 ppm - 0.503 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.520 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0831 ppm - 0.772 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-28 | Q1402751008 | 1.39 ppm |
| 2014-01-28 | Q1402751007 | 1.40 ppm |
| 2014-01-28 | Q1402751006 | 1.45 ppm |
| 2014-01-28 | Q1402751005 | 1.38 ppm |
| 2014-01-28 | Q1402751004 | 1.39 ppm |
| 2014-01-28 | Q1402751003 | 1.42 ppm |
| 2015-05-21 | Q1518817006 | 0.643 ppm |
| 2015-05-21 | Q1518817005 | 0.624 ppm |
| 2015-11-19 | Q1546094003 | 0.446 ppm |
| 2016-05-02 | Q1617286001 | 0.270 ppm |
| 2016-05-02 | Q1617286003 | 0.737 ppm |
| 2016-05-02 | Q1617286002 | 0.571 ppm |
| 2017-06-22 | Q1726245004 | 0.0931 ppm |
| 2017-06-22 | Q1726245008 | 0.0688 ppm |
| 2018-01-23 | Q1802554004 | 0.0222 ppm |
| 2018-09-17 | Q1836833006 | 0.174 ppm |
| 2018-09-17 | Q1836833005 | 0.266 ppm |
| 2018-11-26 | Q1847647002 | 0.503 ppm |
| 2019-01-15 | Q1902044024 | 0.737 ppm |
| 2019-01-15 | Q1902044009 | 0.772 ppm |
| 2019-01-15 | Q1902044008 | 0.578 ppm |
| 2019-06-12 | Q1936429001 | 0.304 ppm |
| 2019-08-02 | Q1950721005 | 0.0831 ppm |
| 2019-12-17 | Q1980321001 | 0.646 ppm |