Nitrate
Sturdivant Progress 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 | 0.0785 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0705 ppm - 0.0864 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0437 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0391 ppm - 0.0483 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0423 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0401 ppm - 0.0445 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0386 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0361 ppm - 0.0410 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0293 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0242 ppm - 0.0350 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0639 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0347 ppm - 0.145 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-08-22 | Q1833777003 | 0.0705 ppm |
| 2018-08-22 | Q1833777001 | 0.0864 ppm |
| 2019-05-29 | Q1929620001 | 0.0483 ppm |
| 2019-05-29 | Q1929620002 | 0.0391 ppm |
| 2020-06-03 | Q2021982003 | 0.0401 ppm |
| 2020-06-03 | Q2021982004 | 0.0445 ppm |
| 2021-05-26 | Q2113700003 | 0.0410 ppm |
| 2021-05-26 | Q2113700004 | 0.0361 ppm |
| 2022-03-22 | Q2209184002 | 0.0317 ppm |
| 2022-03-22 | Q2209184001 | 0.0313 ppm |
| 2022-05-26 | Q2215249003 | 0.0244 ppm |
| 2022-09-27 | Q2229007001 | 0.0242 ppm |
| 2022-11-16 | Q2234552003 | 0.0350 ppm |
| 2023-02-09 | Q2305233001 | 0.145 ppm |
| 2023-05-09 | Q2317464001 | 0.0459 ppm |
| 2023-06-07 | Q2321410001 | 0.0347 ppm |
| 2023-08-28 | Q2336749001 | 0.0376 ppm |
| 2023-08-28 | Q2336749002 | 0.0428 ppm |
| 2023-12-04 | Q2351328001 | 0.0771 ppm |