Nitrate
Liberty City Water Supply Corporation
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 | 0.0551 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0415 ppm - 0.0686 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0507 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0377 ppm - 0.0682 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0629 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0499 ppm - 0.0788 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.191 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0603 ppm - 0.538 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0483 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0414 ppm - 0.0608 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0440 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0343 ppm - 0.0547 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-06-14 | Q1823909004 | 0.0686 ppm |
| 2018-06-14 | Q1823909016 | 0.0415 ppm |
| 2018-06-14 | Q1823909017 | 0.0467 ppm |
| 2018-06-14 | Q1823909003 | 0.0635 ppm |
| 2019-03-28 | Q1912649006 | 0.0682 ppm |
| 2019-03-28 | Q1912649016 | 0.0419 ppm |
| 2019-03-28 | Q1912649017 | 0.0550 ppm |
| 2019-03-28 | Q1912649018 | 0.0377 ppm |
| 2020-06-15 | Q2023825004 | 0.0788 ppm |
| 2020-10-13 | Q2039989014 | 0.0580 ppm |
| 2020-10-13 | Q2039989015 | 0.0649 ppm |
| 2020-10-13 | Q2039989016 | 0.0499 ppm |
| 2021-06-24 | Q2116619004 | 0.0913 ppm |
| 2021-11-19 | Q2132571010 | 0.0736 ppm |
| 2021-11-19 | Q2132571011 | 0.538 ppm |
| 2021-11-19 | Q2132571012 | 0.0603 ppm |
| 2022-03-28 | Q2209608005 | 0.0608 ppm |
| 2022-10-24 | Q2231971011 | 0.0417 ppm |
| 2022-10-24 | Q2231971012 | 0.0494 ppm |
| 2022-10-24 | Q2231971013 | 0.0414 ppm |
| 2023-02-16 | Q2306532001 | 0.0389 ppm |
| 2023-06-14 | Q2322655009 | 0.0480 ppm |
| 2023-06-14 | Q2322655010 | 0.0547 ppm |
| 2023-06-14 | Q2322655011 | 0.0343 ppm |