Nitrate
Crystal Farms 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 | 0.0223 ppm | 1 | 1 | 0.0223 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0202 ppm | 2 | 1 | ND - 0.0404 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0390 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0267 ppm - 0.0513 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.00915 ppm | 2 | 1 | ND - 0.0183 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0501 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0414 ppm - 0.0587 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0242 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0213 ppm - 0.0271 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-06-20 | Q1824485007 | 0.0223 ppm |
| 2019-07-25 | Q1947858002 | ND |
| 2019-10-31 | Q1974664009 | 0.0404 ppm |
| 2020-03-12 | Q2010438012 | 0.0267 ppm |
| 2020-03-12 | Q2010438013 | 0.0513 ppm |
| 2021-05-20 | Q2113262009 | 0.0183 ppm |
| 2021-05-20 | Q2113262011 | ND |
| 2022-02-22 | Q2206222007 | 0.0587 ppm |
| 2022-02-22 | Q2206222008 | 0.0414 ppm |
| 2023-09-07 | Q2338597012 | 0.0213 ppm |
| 2023-09-07 | Q2338597014 | 0.0271 ppm |