Nitrate
Buena Vista Bethel Special Utility District
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 | 0.0779 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0631 ppm - 0.114 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.142 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0614 ppm - 0.242 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.167 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0602 ppm - 0.545 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0746 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0625 ppm - 0.101 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0679 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0530 ppm - 0.1000 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0679 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0586 ppm - 0.0905 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-08-27 | Q1834177004 | 0.114 ppm |
| 2018-08-27 | Q1834177013 | 0.0660 ppm |
| 2018-08-27 | Q1834177014 | 0.0646 ppm |
| 2018-08-27 | Q1834177003 | 0.0631 ppm |
| 2018-11-26 | Q1847685004 | 0.0818 ppm |
| 2019-11-19 | Q1977641019 | 0.0736 ppm |
| 2019-11-19 | Q1977641018 | 0.0614 ppm |
| 2019-11-19 | Q1977641017 | 0.0975 ppm |
| 2019-11-19 | Q1977641003 | 0.242 ppm |
| 2019-11-19 | Q1977641002 | 0.233 ppm |
| 2020-03-16 | Q2010568016 | 0.545 ppm |
| 2020-03-16 | Q2010568025 | 0.0967 ppm |
| 2020-03-16 | Q2010568026 | 0.0602 ppm |
| 2020-03-16 | Q2010568027 | 0.0620 ppm |
| 2020-03-16 | Q2010568028 | 0.0719 ppm |
| 2021-06-21 | Q2116030013 | 0.101 ppm |
| 2021-06-21 | Q2116030017 | 0.0741 ppm |
| 2021-06-21 | Q2116030016 | 0.0625 ppm |
| 2021-06-21 | Q2116030015 | 0.0644 ppm |
| 2021-06-21 | Q2116030014 | 0.0711 ppm |
| 2022-03-28 | Q2209624007 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2022-03-28 | Q2209624008 | 0.0655 ppm |
| 2022-03-28 | Q2209624009 | 0.0629 ppm |
| 2022-03-28 | Q2209624010 | 0.0530 ppm |
| 2022-03-28 | Q2209624011 | 0.0579 ppm |
| 2023-09-13 | Q2339410007 | 0.0586 ppm |
| 2023-11-07 | Q2348144012 | 0.0905 ppm |
| 2023-11-07 | Q2348144013 | 0.0594 ppm |
| 2023-11-07 | Q2348144028 | 0.0721 ppm |
| 2023-11-07 | Q2348144029 | 0.0590 ppm |