Nitrate
Brandon-irene 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 | 0.494 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0478 ppm - 1.79 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.393 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0445 ppm - 1.38 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0885 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0521 ppm - 0.154 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0839 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0367 ppm - 0.142 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0813 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0511 ppm - 0.121 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0836 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0517 ppm - 0.117 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-06-12 | Q1823232006 | 1.79 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | Q1823232011 | 0.0478 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | Q1823232021 | 0.0535 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | Q1823232005 | 0.0860 ppm |
| 2019-01-14 | Q1901731003 | 0.0445 ppm |
| 2019-01-14 | Q1901731015 | 0.0533 ppm |
| 2019-04-04 | Q1913766004 | 1.38 ppm |
| 2019-04-04 | Q1913766007 | 0.0934 ppm |
| 2020-01-14 | Q2001292016 | 0.0521 ppm |
| 2020-01-14 | Q2001292017 | 0.0594 ppm |
| 2020-12-10 | Q2049263001 | 0.154 ppm |
| 2021-10-11 | Q2128067009 | 0.0776 ppm |
| 2021-10-11 | Q2128067013 | 0.142 ppm |
| 2021-10-11 | Q2128067011 | 0.0367 ppm |
| 2021-10-11 | Q2128067010 | 0.0792 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | Q2231550011 | 0.0718 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | Q2231550012 | 0.0813 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | Q2231550013 | 0.121 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | Q2231550017 | 0.0511 ppm |
| 2023-07-05 | Q2326066001 | 0.117 ppm |
| 2023-07-05 | Q2326066002 | 0.0517 ppm |
| 2023-10-04 | Q2342706003 | 0.0637 ppm |
| 2023-10-04 | Q2342706017 | 0.102 ppm |