Nitrate
City of Duncanville
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 | 0.419 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.346 ppm - 0.556 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.561 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.530 ppm - 0.604 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.511 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.496 ppm - 0.534 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.658 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.439 ppm - 0.863 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.701 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.636 ppm - 0.800 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.509 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.409 ppm - 0.626 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-10-27 | Q1453998003 | 0.356 ppm |
| 2014-10-27 | Q1453998002 | 0.556 ppm |
| 2014-10-27 | Q1453998001 | 0.346 ppm |
| 2015-06-16 | Q1522212003 | 0.548 ppm |
| 2015-06-16 | Q1522212002 | 0.604 ppm |
| 2015-06-16 | Q1522212001 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2016-04-06 | Q1613634007 | 0.496 ppm |
| 2016-04-06 | Q1613634002 | 0.502 ppm |
| 2016-04-06 | Q1613634001 | 0.534 ppm |
| 2017-01-11 | Q1701552004 | 0.863 ppm |
| 2017-01-11 | Q1701552003 | 0.673 ppm |
| 2017-12-08 | Q1764815001 | 0.439 ppm |
| 2018-05-08 | Q1818463002 | 0.668 ppm |
| 2018-05-08 | Q1818463005 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-05-08 | Q1818463001 | 0.636 ppm |
| 2019-04-18 | Q1915874001 | 0.626 ppm |
| 2019-10-10 | Q1972251001 | 0.491 ppm |
| 2019-10-10 | Q1972251002 | 0.409 ppm |