Nitrate
Denton County Fresh Water Supply District 11-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 | 0.353 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.159 ppm - 0.641 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.348 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.160 ppm - 0.453 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.419 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.171 ppm - 0.621 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.402 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.154 ppm - 0.582 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.248 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.119 ppm - 0.444 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.372 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.176 ppm - 0.576 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-01-03 | Q1800339001 | 0.326 ppm |
| 2018-04-05 | Q1814184002 | 0.641 ppm |
| 2018-07-05 | Q1826568002 | 0.159 ppm |
| 2018-10-03 | Q1839723001 | 0.284 ppm |
| 2019-01-08 | Q1900598002 | 0.453 ppm |
| 2019-04-09 | Q1914511001 | 0.437 ppm |
| 2019-08-05 | Q1950731001 | 0.160 ppm |
| 2019-10-02 | Q1971118001 | 0.341 ppm |
| 2020-01-15 | Q2001593001 | 0.598 ppm |
| 2020-05-18 | Q2019674001 | 0.621 ppm |
| 2020-09-10 | Q2036115001 | 0.284 ppm |
| 2020-11-24 | Q2047161002 | 0.171 ppm |
| 2021-02-24 | Q2104757001 | 0.516 ppm |
| 2021-05-26 | Q2113817001 | 0.582 ppm |
| 2021-08-24 | Q2123033002 | 0.356 ppm |
| 2021-11-10 | Q2131598001 | 0.154 ppm |
| 2022-02-15 | Q2205435001 | 0.160 ppm |
| 2022-05-09 | Q2213790001 | 0.444 ppm |
| 2022-08-18 | Q2224622002 | 0.119 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | Q2231734001 | 0.269 ppm |
| 2023-01-25 | Q2303555001 | 0.490 ppm |
| 2023-06-12 | Q2322121001 | 0.246 ppm |
| 2023-08-29 | Q2337325002 | 0.176 ppm |
| 2023-11-08 | Q2348054002 | 0.576 ppm |