Nitrate
Lake Cities Municipal Utility Authority
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 | 0.192 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0455 ppm - 0.339 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.397 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.243 ppm - 0.550 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.277 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.169 ppm - 0.384 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.361 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.130 ppm - 0.583 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.544 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.243 ppm - 0.835 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.444 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.201 ppm - 0.669 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-06-19 | Q1422461007 | 0.0455 ppm |
| 2014-09-18 | Q1445974001 | 0.339 ppm |
| 2015-03-17 | Q1509913001 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2015-06-09 | Q1521271001 | 0.243 ppm |
| 2016-10-19 | Q1644915006 | 0.169 ppm |
| 2016-10-19 | Q1644915005 | 0.384 ppm |
| 2017-04-18 | Q1715878001 | 0.583 ppm |
| 2017-09-07 | Q1742146001 | 0.308 ppm |
| 2017-10-12 | Q1752250012 | 0.424 ppm |
| 2017-10-12 | Q1752250014 | 0.130 ppm |
| 2018-01-18 | Q1801976006 | 0.531 ppm |
| 2018-01-18 | Q1801976005 | 0.508 ppm |
| 2018-01-18 | Q1801976004 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2018-04-12 | Q1815191003 | 0.835 ppm |
| 2018-07-12 | Q1827643001 | 0.243 ppm |
| 2018-10-11 | Q1840601003 | 0.629 ppm |
| 2019-01-22 | Q1903245001 | 0.477 ppm |
| 2019-01-29 | Q1904052002 | 0.201 ppm |
| 2019-01-29 | Q1904052006 | 0.607 ppm |
| 2019-04-11 | Q1914831001 | 0.669 ppm |
| 2019-08-06 | Q1952129001 | 0.297 ppm |
| 2019-11-05 | Q1975082005 | 0.414 ppm |