Nitrate
Quinlan North Subdivision
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 | 0.141 ppm | 4 | 3 | ND - 0.360 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.314 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.271 ppm - 0.394 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.418 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.371 ppm - 0.478 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.424 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.125 ppm - 0.588 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.260 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.108 ppm - 0.362 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.401 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.260 ppm - 0.512 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-02-13 | Q1805807001 | ND |
| 2018-05-08 | Q1818539002 | 0.360 ppm |
| 2018-08-15 | Q1832663001 | 0.0759 ppm |
| 2018-11-29 | Q1848700001 | 0.128 ppm |
| 2019-03-05 | Q1909223001 | 0.394 ppm |
| 2019-06-05 | Q1932126009 | 0.281 ppm |
| 2019-09-23 | Q1967452001 | 0.271 ppm |
| 2019-12-12 | Q1979956001 | 0.308 ppm |
| 2020-02-19 | Q2006393005 | 0.478 ppm |
| 2020-05-21 | Q2020428001 | 0.393 ppm |
| 2020-09-21 | Q2037386001 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2020-12-15 | Q2049671002 | 0.371 ppm |
| 2021-02-23 | Q2104582005 | 0.422 ppm |
| 2021-06-10 | Q2115246002 | 0.588 ppm |
| 2021-09-15 | Q2125275001 | 0.560 ppm |
| 2021-11-04 | Q2130999001 | 0.125 ppm |
| 2022-02-25 | Q2206628006 | 0.301 ppm |
| 2022-05-11 | Q2214174001 | 0.267 ppm |
| 2022-08-23 | Q2224981001 | 0.108 ppm |
| 2022-12-07 | Q2236657001 | 0.362 ppm |
| 2023-02-16 | Q2306407001 | 0.512 ppm |
| 2023-05-17 | Q2318657005 | 0.469 ppm |
| 2023-09-19 | Q2340245001 | 0.361 ppm |
| 2023-11-16 | Q2349436001 | 0.260 ppm |