Nitrate

Mesa Grande 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.

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	0.0255 ppm	2	2	0.0200 ppm - 0.0310 ppm
2015	0.00950 ppm	2	1	ND - 0.0190 ppm
2016	0.0353 ppm	2	1	ND - 0.0705 ppm
2017	0.223 ppm	2	2	0.0169 ppm - 0.429 ppm
2018	0.0265 ppm	2	2	0.0251 ppm - 0.0278 ppm
2019	0.0312 ppm	2	2	0.0218 ppm - 0.0406 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
2014-12-03	Q1458233001	0.0200 ppm
2014-12-03	Q1458233002	0.0310 ppm
2015-10-22	Q1541808005	0.0190 ppm
2015-10-22	Q1541808006	ND
2016-11-14	Q1649175009	0.0705 ppm
2016-11-14	Q1649175010	ND
2017-12-14	Q1766132006	0.0169 ppm
2017-12-14	Q1766132007	0.429 ppm
2018-10-01	Q1838902011	0.0278 ppm
2018-10-01	Q1838902001	0.0251 ppm
2019-09-23	Q1967401001	0.0218 ppm
2019-09-23	Q1967401002	0.0406 ppm