Nitrate
City of Naples
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 | 0.0645 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0445 ppm - 0.0964 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0745 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0554 ppm - 0.104 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0836 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0513 ppm - 0.146 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0840 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0563 ppm - 0.120 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0860 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0572 ppm - 0.139 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0693 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0373 ppm - 0.102 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-15 | Q1810680019 | 0.0453 ppm |
| 2018-03-15 | Q1810680038 | 0.0964 ppm |
| 2018-03-15 | Q1810680039 | 0.0569 ppm |
| 2018-03-15 | Q1810680040 | 0.0794 ppm |
| 2018-03-15 | Q1810680018 | 0.0445 ppm |
| 2019-08-15 | Q1955907001 | 0.0554 ppm |
| 2019-08-15 | Q1955907011 | 0.0640 ppm |
| 2019-08-15 | Q1955907012 | 0.104 ppm |
| 2020-05-11 | Q2018218009 | 0.108 ppm |
| 2020-05-11 | Q2018218010 | 0.0610 ppm |
| 2020-05-11 | Q2018218011 | 0.146 ppm |
| 2020-05-11 | Q2018218013 | 0.0513 ppm |
| 2020-12-03 | Q2048484006 | 0.0517 ppm |
| 2021-07-28 | Q2119749033 | 0.0720 ppm |
| 2021-07-28 | Q2119749043 | 0.120 ppm |
| 2021-07-28 | Q2119749042 | 0.0563 ppm |
| 2021-07-28 | Q2119749041 | 0.104 ppm |
| 2021-07-28 | Q2119749034 | 0.0678 ppm |
| 2022-02-08 | Q2204273004 | 0.0572 ppm |
| 2022-06-14 | Q2216505007 | 0.139 ppm |
| 2022-06-14 | Q2216505008 | 0.0580 ppm |
| 2022-11-15 | Q2234252002 | 0.0896 ppm |
| 2023-06-15 | Q2322780001 | 0.0894 ppm |
| 2023-06-15 | Q2322780002 | 0.102 ppm |
| 2023-06-15 | Q2322780007 | 0.0486 ppm |
| 2023-06-15 | Q2322780008 | 0.0373 ppm |