Nitrate
North Central Texas Municipal Water Authority
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 | 1.42 ppm | 13 | 13 | 0.206 ppm - 2.70 ppm |
| 2019 | 1.85 ppm | 13 | 13 | 0.301 ppm - 5.10 ppm |
| 2020 | 1.68 ppm | 11 | 11 | 0.0817 ppm - 3.62 ppm |
| 2021 | 1.73 ppm | 10 | 10 | 0.0549 ppm - 3.20 ppm |
| 2022 | 2.88 ppm | 13 | 13 | 0.118 ppm - 8.64 ppm |
| 2023 | 3.81 ppm | 13 | 13 | 0.0846 ppm - 10.1 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 | Q1806366005 | 1.93 ppm |
| 2018-02-13 | Q1806366004 | 0.206 ppm |
| 2018-02-13 | Q1806366013 | 1.03 ppm |
| 2018-02-13 | Q1806366012 | 0.631 ppm |
| 2018-05-15 | Q1819778001 | 1.92 ppm |
| 2018-05-15 | Q1819778009 | 0.725 ppm |
| 2018-05-15 | Q1819778010 | 0.930 ppm |
| 2018-09-10 | Q1835655001 | 2.69 ppm |
| 2018-09-10 | Q1835655002 | 0.978 ppm |
| 2018-09-10 | Q1835655003 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2018-11-19 | Q1847198002 | 2.70 ppm |
| 2018-11-19 | Q1847198003 | 2.69 ppm |
| 2018-11-19 | Q1847198005 | 1.42 ppm |
| 2019-03-07 | Q1909867004 | 2.87 ppm |
| 2019-03-07 | Q1909867008 | 0.371 ppm |
| 2019-03-07 | Q1909867011 | 0.688 ppm |
| 2019-03-07 | Q1909867012 | 5.10 ppm |
| 2019-05-14 | Q1925812006 | 2.05 ppm |
| 2019-05-14 | Q1925812004 | 1.99 ppm |
| 2019-05-14 | Q1925812005 | 1.84 ppm |
| 2019-09-10 | Q1963432012 | 2.86 ppm |
| 2019-09-10 | Q1963432013 | 0.301 ppm |
| 2019-09-10 | Q1963432014 | 1.26 ppm |
| 2019-11-06 | Q1975918001 | 2.66 ppm |
| 2019-11-06 | Q1975918002 | 0.825 ppm |
| 2019-11-06 | Q1975918003 | 1.27 ppm |
| 2020-03-17 | Q2011709007 | 1.09 ppm |
| 2020-03-17 | Q2011709016 | 0.0817 ppm |
| 2020-03-17 | Q2011709008 | 2.19 ppm |
| 2020-03-17 | Q2011709006 | 3.62 ppm |
| 2020-05-26 | Q2020617005 | 2.80 ppm |
| 2020-05-26 | Q2020617006 | 0.875 ppm |
| 2020-05-26 | Q2020617007 | 1.18 ppm |
| 2020-09-15 | Q2036511003 | 2.08 ppm |
| 2020-09-15 | Q2036511004 | 1.52 ppm |
| 2020-12-02 | Q2048105004 | 1.94 ppm |
| 2020-12-02 | Q2048105003 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2021-03-01 | Q2105128008 | 2.35 ppm |
| 2021-03-01 | Q2105128009 | 1.17 ppm |
| 2021-05-18 | Q2112967008 | 2.03 ppm |
| 2021-05-18 | Q2112967009 | 0.884 ppm |
| 2021-05-18 | Q2112967015 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2021-08-24 | Q2122978008 | 0.0549 ppm |
| 2021-08-24 | Q2122978010 | 2.86 ppm |
| 2021-08-24 | Q2122978011 | 1.58 ppm |
| 2021-11-16 | Q2132016002 | 2.61 ppm |
| 2021-11-16 | Q2132016001 | 3.20 ppm |
| 2022-03-02 | Q2207242012 | 2.76 ppm |
| 2022-03-02 | Q2207242013 | 1.38 ppm |
| 2022-03-02 | Q2207242018 | 8.01 ppm |
| 2022-05-24 | Q2215064001 | 2.23 ppm |
| 2022-05-24 | Q2215064002 | 2.67 ppm |
| 2022-05-24 | Q2215064003 | 8.64 ppm |
| 2022-09-07 | Q2226614007 | 0.174 ppm |
| 2022-09-07 | Q2226614003 | 1.92 ppm |
| 2022-09-07 | Q2226614001 | 0.118 ppm |
| 2022-09-07 | Q2226614004 | 0.599 ppm |
| 2022-11-15 | Q2234302001 | 2.42 ppm |
| 2022-11-15 | Q2234302002 | 0.742 ppm |
| 2022-11-15 | Q2234302003 | 5.81 ppm |
| 2023-03-08 | Q2309188001 | 2.75 ppm |
| 2023-03-08 | Q2309188011 | 2.05 ppm |
| 2023-03-08 | Q2309188012 | 6.40 ppm |
| 2023-05-16 | Q2318416007 | 5.82 ppm |
| 2023-05-16 | Q2318416009 | 0.362 ppm |
| 2023-05-16 | Q2318416002 | 3.00 ppm |
| 2023-09-05 | Q2338005003 | 0.0846 ppm |
| 2023-09-05 | Q2338005007 | 4.42 ppm |
| 2023-09-05 | Q2338005008 | 2.48 ppm |
| 2023-09-05 | Q2338005009 | 10.1 ppm |
| 2023-11-28 | Q2350606001 | 4.09 ppm |
| 2023-11-28 | Q2350606002 | 1.80 ppm |
| 2023-11-28 | Q2350606003 | 6.14 ppm |