Nitrate
Denton County Fresh Water Supply District 8-c
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 | 0.363 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0457 ppm - 0.829 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.344 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0499 ppm - 0.771 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.314 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0481 ppm - 0.927 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.301 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0496 ppm - 0.625 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.241 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0608 ppm - 0.582 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.274 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0272 ppm - 0.653 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-02-12 | Q1805953011 | 0.0457 ppm |
| 2018-02-12 | Q1805953006 | 0.0595 ppm |
| 2018-02-12 | Q1805953012 | 0.829 ppm |
| 2018-05-22 | Q1820587001 | 0.614 ppm |
| 2018-08-27 | Q1834706001 | 0.0926 ppm |
| 2018-12-06 | Q1850039001 | 0.535 ppm |
| 2019-03-27 | Q1912759006 | 0.0563 ppm |
| 2019-03-27 | Q1912759007 | 0.771 ppm |
| 2019-03-27 | Q1912759008 | 0.0499 ppm |
| 2019-06-24 | Q1939577001 | 0.427 ppm |
| 2019-09-16 | Q1965020001 | 0.0864 ppm |
| 2019-12-12 | Q1979968001 | 0.676 ppm |
| 2020-03-19 | Q2012019009 | 0.0481 ppm |
| 2020-03-19 | Q2012019014 | 0.927 ppm |
| 2020-03-19 | Q2012019015 | 0.0559 ppm |
| 2020-05-26 | Q2020652001 | 0.293 ppm |
| 2020-09-10 | Q2036109001 | 0.240 ppm |
| 2020-10-28 | Q2041668001 | 0.320 ppm |
| 2021-03-24 | Q2107586001 | 0.625 ppm |
| 2021-06-14 | Q2115442001 | 0.528 ppm |
| 2021-09-23 | Q2126123001 | 0.126 ppm |
| 2021-12-07 | Q2134437008 | 0.0517 ppm |
| 2021-12-07 | Q2134437011 | 0.0496 ppm |
| 2021-12-07 | Q2134437012 | 0.426 ppm |
| 2022-02-10 | Q2204953001 | 0.582 ppm |
| 2022-04-27 | Q2212615003 | 0.0614 ppm |
| 2022-04-27 | Q2212615004 | 0.466 ppm |
| 2022-07-27 | Q2221388001 | 0.0925 ppm |
| 2022-07-27 | Q2221388007 | 0.0608 ppm |
| 2022-10-21 | Q2232003001 | 0.182 ppm |
| 2023-01-25 | Q2303552001 | 0.653 ppm |
| 2023-06-12 | Q2322114001 | 0.107 ppm |
| 2023-08-02 | Q2331447002 | 0.315 ppm |
| 2023-08-02 | Q2331447003 | 0.0666 ppm |
| 2023-11-06 | Q2347802006 | 0.0272 ppm |
| 2023-11-06 | Q2347802011 | 0.477 ppm |