Nitrate
Gastonia Scurry Special Utility District
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 | 0.371 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.349 ppm - 0.392 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.406 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.245 ppm - 0.532 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.457 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.318 ppm - 0.664 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.337 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.246 ppm - 0.445 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.346 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.166 ppm - 0.470 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.353 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0848 ppm - 0.759 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-11-28 | Q1848255004 | 0.349 ppm |
| 2018-11-28 | Q1848255001 | 0.392 ppm |
| 2019-01-22 | Q1903188001 | 0.397 ppm |
| 2019-01-22 | Q1903188002 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2019-04-29 | Q1916932002 | 0.532 ppm |
| 2019-08-01 | Q1950432001 | 0.245 ppm |
| 2019-10-15 | Q1972665001 | 0.465 ppm |
| 2020-01-15 | Q2001631001 | 0.525 ppm |
| 2020-01-15 | Q2001631002 | 0.664 ppm |
| 2020-04-23 | Q2016204001 | 0.404 ppm |
| 2020-08-13 | Q2032326001 | 0.318 ppm |
| 2020-12-01 | Q2048066003 | 0.373 ppm |
| 2021-02-09 | Q2103869001 | 0.445 ppm |
| 2021-04-19 | Q2109946003 | 0.354 ppm |
| 2021-07-30 | Q2119998001 | 0.246 ppm |
| 2021-10-26 | Q2130114001 | 0.278 ppm |
| 2021-10-26 | Q2130114004 | 0.363 ppm |
| 2022-02-09 | Q2204748001 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2022-02-09 | Q2204748002 | 0.470 ppm |
| 2022-06-08 | Q2216059001 | 0.166 ppm |
| 2022-09-09 | Q2226934001 | 0.296 ppm |
| 2022-12-06 | Q2236728001 | 0.410 ppm |
| 2023-02-06 | Q2304362001 | 0.361 ppm |
| 2023-02-06 | Q2304362002 | 0.759 ppm |
| 2023-06-06 | Q2321092001 | 0.116 ppm |
| 2023-08-17 | Q2334694001 | 0.0848 ppm |
| 2023-11-15 | Q2349076001 | 0.444 ppm |