Nitrate
Quinlan South 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 | 0.451 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.119 ppm - 0.596 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.537 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.328 ppm - 0.755 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.436 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0950 ppm - 0.967 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.530 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.176 ppm - 0.924 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.375 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.239 ppm - 0.565 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.429 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0625 ppm - 0.719 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 | Q1805808001 | 0.539 ppm |
| 2018-05-08 | Q1818540005 | 0.548 ppm |
| 2018-08-15 | Q1832664001 | 0.119 ppm |
| 2018-11-29 | Q1848701001 | 0.596 ppm |
| 2019-03-05 | Q1909224001 | 0.755 ppm |
| 2019-06-05 | Q1932127009 | 0.567 ppm |
| 2019-09-23 | Q1967453001 | 0.328 ppm |
| 2019-12-12 | Q1979957001 | 0.499 ppm |
| 2020-02-19 | Q2006397005 | 0.967 ppm |
| 2020-05-21 | Q2020429002 | 0.0950 ppm |
| 2020-09-21 | Q2037387001 | 0.344 ppm |
| 2020-12-15 | Q2049672002 | 0.336 ppm |
| 2021-02-23 | Q2104583005 | 0.924 ppm |
| 2021-06-10 | Q2115250001 | 0.281 ppm |
| 2021-09-15 | Q2125282001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2021-11-04 | Q2131005001 | 0.176 ppm |
| 2022-02-25 | Q2206633008 | 0.565 ppm |
| 2022-05-11 | Q2214178001 | 0.316 ppm |
| 2022-08-23 | Q2224982001 | 0.239 ppm |
| 2022-12-07 | Q2236662001 | 0.381 ppm |
| 2023-02-16 | Q2306411001 | 0.593 ppm |
| 2023-05-17 | Q2318661005 | 0.0625 ppm |
| 2023-09-19 | Q2340249001 | 0.719 ppm |
| 2023-11-16 | Q2349441001 | 0.342 ppm |