Nitrate

City of Bellaire

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	0.523 ppm	3	3	0.01000 ppm - 0.780 ppm
2015	0.247 ppm	3	2	ND - 0.370 ppm
2016	0.343 ppm	3	2	ND - 0.520 ppm
2017	0.223 ppm	3	3	0.01000 ppm - 0.330 ppm
2018	0.223 ppm	3	3	0.01000 ppm - 0.330 ppm
2019	0.427 ppm	3	2	ND - 0.640 ppm

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.

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
2014-02-03	AC40995	0.780 ppm
2014-02-03	AC40974	0.780 ppm
2014-04-07	AC49369	0.01000 ppm
2015-01-20	AC76705	ND
2015-01-20	AC76708	0.370 ppm
2015-01-20	AC76707	0.370 ppm
2016-01-12	AD17463	0.520 ppm
2016-01-12	AD17465	0.510 ppm
2016-04-06	AD31949	ND
2017-01-18	AD65234	0.330 ppm
2017-01-18	AD65249	0.01000 ppm
2017-01-18	AD65250	0.330 ppm
2018-01-24	AE10034	0.330 ppm
2018-01-24	AE10036	0.330 ppm
2018-04-09	AE21557	0.01000 ppm
2019-01-15	AE49715	0.640 ppm
2019-01-15	AE49713	ND
2019-01-15	AE49712	0.640 ppm