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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0.241 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0222 ppm - 0.503 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.520 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0831 ppm - 0.772 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.525 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.266 ppm - 0.827 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.539 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.110 ppm - 0.802 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.302 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.158 ppm - 0.439 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.390 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0671 ppm - 0.790 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-01-23 | Q1802554004 | 0.0222 ppm |
| 2018-09-17 | Q1836833005 | 0.266 ppm |
| 2018-09-17 | Q1836833006 | 0.174 ppm |
| 2018-11-26 | Q1847647002 | 0.503 ppm |
| 2019-01-15 | Q1902044008 | 0.578 ppm |
| 2019-01-15 | Q1902044009 | 0.772 ppm |
| 2019-01-15 | Q1902044024 | 0.737 ppm |
| 2019-06-12 | Q1936429001 | 0.304 ppm |
| 2019-08-02 | Q1950721005 | 0.0831 ppm |
| 2019-12-17 | Q1980321001 | 0.646 ppm |
| 2020-03-10 | Q2009279006 | 0.827 ppm |
| 2020-03-10 | Q2009279007 | 0.705 ppm |
| 2020-03-10 | Q2009279008 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2020-05-19 | Q2020083003 | 0.340 ppm |
| 2020-09-10 | Q2036102005 | 0.266 ppm |
| 2020-11-12 | Q2044600001 | 0.292 ppm |
| 2021-01-28 | Q2102310010 | 0.802 ppm |
| 2021-01-28 | Q2102310009 | 0.754 ppm |
| 2021-01-28 | Q2102310008 | 0.682 ppm |
| 2021-04-28 | Q2110719001 | 0.529 ppm |
| 2021-09-23 | Q2126118001 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2021-11-19 | Q2132575001 | 0.358 ppm |
| 2022-03-22 | Q2209138014 | 0.347 ppm |
| 2022-03-22 | Q2209138015 | 0.343 ppm |
| 2022-03-22 | Q2209138016 | 0.342 ppm |
| 2022-06-15 | Q2216694001 | 0.158 ppm |
| 2022-09-15 | Q2227685001 | 0.180 ppm |
| 2022-11-10 | Q2233975001 | 0.439 ppm |
| 2023-02-22 | Q2307413001 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2023-02-22 | Q2307413003 | 0.707 ppm |
| 2023-06-01 | Q2320531001 | 0.125 ppm |
| 2023-08-22 | Q2335430004 | 0.0785 ppm |
| 2023-08-22 | Q2335430011 | 0.0671 ppm |
| 2023-11-08 | Q2348060001 | 0.575 ppm |