Nitrate
C R C 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 | 0.0653 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0610 ppm - 0.0695 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.106 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0654 ppm - 0.146 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.207 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0616 ppm - 0.352 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0512 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0465 ppm - 0.0559 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0769 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0744 ppm - 0.0793 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0707 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0677 ppm - 0.0737 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-12-13 | Q1851483006 | 0.0610 ppm |
| 2018-12-13 | Q1851483011 | 0.0695 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | Q1910624005 | 0.146 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | Q1910624015 | 0.0654 ppm |
| 2020-03-18 | Q2011901008 | 0.352 ppm |
| 2020-03-18 | Q2011901009 | 0.0616 ppm |
| 2021-03-11 | Q2106478008 | 0.0465 ppm |
| 2021-03-11 | Q2106478010 | 0.0559 ppm |
| 2022-06-20 | Q2216943010 | 0.0744 ppm |
| 2022-06-20 | Q2216943014 | 0.0793 ppm |
| 2023-05-11 | Q2318005001 | 0.0737 ppm |
| 2023-05-11 | Q2318005008 | 0.0677 ppm |