Nitrate
West Gregg 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 | 0.0373 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0305 ppm - 0.0469 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0403 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0352 ppm - 0.0501 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0380 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0335 ppm - 0.0448 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0395 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0336 ppm - 0.0474 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0407 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0331 ppm - 0.0525 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0370 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0283 ppm - 0.0494 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-09-13 | Q1836486008 | 0.0343 ppm |
| 2018-09-13 | Q1836486009 | 0.0373 ppm |
| 2018-09-13 | Q1836486007 | 0.0305 ppm |
| 2018-12-05 | Q1849734005 | 0.0469 ppm |
| 2019-02-14 | Q1906942004 | 0.0501 ppm |
| 2019-02-14 | Q1906942014 | 0.0387 ppm |
| 2019-03-28 | Q1912650009 | 0.0352 ppm |
| 2019-03-28 | Q1912650010 | 0.0373 ppm |
| 2020-01-09 | Q2000956011 | 0.0448 ppm |
| 2020-01-09 | Q2000956012 | 0.0335 ppm |
| 2020-01-09 | Q2000956013 | 0.0373 ppm |
| 2020-01-09 | Q2000956023 | 0.0363 ppm |
| 2021-06-15 | Q2115566010 | 0.0474 ppm |
| 2021-06-15 | Q2115566013 | 0.0401 ppm |
| 2021-06-15 | Q2115566012 | 0.0368 ppm |
| 2021-06-15 | Q2115566011 | 0.0336 ppm |
| 2022-03-14 | Q2208516007 | 0.0331 ppm |
| 2022-08-17 | Q2224332001 | 0.0402 ppm |
| 2022-08-17 | Q2224332019 | 0.0368 ppm |
| 2022-08-17 | Q2224332020 | 0.0525 ppm |
| 2023-03-07 | Q2308919002 | 0.0494 ppm |
| 2023-03-07 | Q2308919003 | 0.0312 ppm |
| 2023-03-07 | Q2308919022 | 0.0392 ppm |
| 2023-07-19 | Q2328453009 | 0.0283 ppm |