Nitrate
Woden Water Supply Corporation
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 | 0.0135 ppm | 6 | 4 | ND - 0.0253 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.00807 ppm | 6 | 3 | ND - 0.0165 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.00860 ppm | 6 | 3 | ND - 0.0194 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0159 ppm | 6 | 5 | ND - 0.0281 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0103 ppm | 6 | 3 | ND - 0.0291 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0113 ppm | 6 | 4 | ND - 0.0246 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-20 | Q1811091008 | 0.0253 ppm |
| 2018-03-20 | Q1811091007 | ND |
| 2018-03-20 | Q1811091024 | 0.0131 ppm |
| 2018-03-20 | Q1811091023 | 0.0231 ppm |
| 2018-03-20 | Q1811091022 | ND |
| 2018-03-20 | Q1811091021 | 0.0193 ppm |
| 2019-01-16 | Q1902343001 | 0.0157 ppm |
| 2019-01-16 | Q1902343002 | 0.0162 ppm |
| 2019-01-16 | Q1902343003 | ND |
| 2019-01-16 | Q1902343015 | 0.0165 ppm |
| 2019-01-16 | Q1902343016 | ND |
| 2019-10-08 | Q1972051004 | ND |
| 2020-04-07 | Q2014004018 | 0.0162 ppm |
| 2020-04-07 | Q2014004019 | ND |
| 2020-04-07 | Q2014004020 | ND |
| 2020-11-04 | Q2042876017 | ND |
| 2020-11-04 | Q2042876018 | 0.0160 ppm |
| 2020-11-04 | Q2042876019 | 0.0194 ppm |
| 2021-03-16 | Q2106923004 | 0.0182 ppm |
| 2021-05-18 | Q2112986003 | 0.0113 ppm |
| 2021-10-11 | Q2128064013 | 0.0249 ppm |
| 2021-10-11 | Q2128064014 | ND |
| 2021-10-11 | Q2128064015 | 0.0130 ppm |
| 2021-10-11 | Q2128064016 | 0.0281 ppm |
| 2022-03-03 | Q2207392004 | 0.0142 ppm |
| 2022-06-15 | Q2216701012 | ND |
| 2022-06-15 | Q2216701017 | ND |
| 2022-06-15 | Q2216701016 | ND |
| 2022-06-15 | Q2216701011 | 0.0187 ppm |
| 2022-06-15 | Q2216701001 | 0.0291 ppm |
| 2023-03-01 | Q2308261001 | ND |
| 2023-06-27 | Q2324601024 | 0.0112 ppm |
| 2023-06-27 | Q2324601025 | 0.0246 ppm |
| 2023-06-27 | Q2324601026 | 0.0176 ppm |
| 2023-06-27 | Q2324601027 | 0.0144 ppm |
| 2023-06-27 | Q2324601028 | ND |