Nitrate

City of Rockwall

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2013	N/A	0	0	N/A
2014	1.33 ppm	2	2	1.33 ppm
2015	0.855 ppm	2	2	0.800 ppm - 0.910 ppm
2016	0.608 ppm	2	2	0.598 ppm - 0.618 ppm
2017	0.631 ppm	2	2	0.581 ppm - 0.681 ppm
2018	0.0483 ppm	2	2	0.0451 ppm - 0.0514 ppm
2019	0.628 ppm	2	2	0.616 ppm - 0.640 ppm

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.

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
2014-04-21	Q1412553005	1.33 ppm
2014-04-21	Q1412553006	1.33 ppm
2015-01-20	Q1501829005	0.910 ppm
2015-01-20	Q1501829006	0.800 ppm
2016-02-09	Q1605410001	0.618 ppm
2016-02-09	Q1605410002	0.598 ppm
2017-01-12	Q1701581003	0.681 ppm
2017-01-12	Q1701581004	0.581 ppm
2018-07-10	Q1827367001	0.0451 ppm
2018-07-10	Q1827367002	0.0514 ppm
2019-11-18	Q1977579001	0.616 ppm
2019-11-18	Q1977579002	0.640 ppm