Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate

Western Hills Water System

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.

 

24

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.0300 ppm42ND - 0.0600 ppm
20190.0450 ppm43ND - 0.0600 ppm
20200.0425 ppm43ND - 0.0600 ppm
20210.0650 ppm440.0600 ppm - 0.0700 ppm
20220.0625 ppm440.0500 ppm - 0.0700 ppm
20230.0575 ppm440.0500 ppm - 0.0600 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
2018-09-18AE40570ND
2018-09-18AE40571ND
2018-09-18AE405720.0600 ppm
2018-09-18AE405690.0600 ppm
2019-06-17AE70984ND
2019-06-17AE709850.0600 ppm
2019-06-17AE709860.0600 ppm
2019-06-17AE709870.0600 ppm
2020-06-15AF151750.0600 ppm
2020-06-15AF15176ND
2020-06-15AF151770.0500 ppm
2020-06-15AF151780.0600 ppm
2021-08-03AF643000.0700 ppm
2021-08-03AF643030.0600 ppm
2021-08-03AF643020.0700 ppm
2021-08-03AF643010.0600 ppm
2022-03-22AF899440.0500 ppm
2022-03-22AF899450.0700 ppm
2022-03-22AF899460.0700 ppm
2022-10-04AG158040.0600 ppm
2023-07-12AG480140.0600 ppm
2023-07-12AG480150.0600 ppm
2023-07-12AG480160.0600 ppm
2023-07-12AG480180.0500 ppm