Nitrate
City of Arp
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 | 0.00505 ppm | 2 | 1 | ND - 0.0101 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0252 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0232 ppm - 0.0272 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0261 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0237 ppm - 0.0284 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0247 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0177 ppm - 0.0317 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0213 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0149 ppm - 0.0277 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0265 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0233 ppm - 0.0297 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-26 | Q1812082004 | ND |
| 2018-03-26 | Q1812082012 | 0.0101 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | Q1911657002 | 0.0232 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | Q1911657005 | 0.0272 ppm |
| 2020-12-01 | Q2047579007 | 0.0284 ppm |
| 2020-12-01 | Q2047579008 | 0.0237 ppm |
| 2021-06-10 | Q2115262005 | 0.0317 ppm |
| 2021-06-10 | Q2115262006 | 0.0177 ppm |
| 2022-03-30 | Q2209980003 | 0.0277 ppm |
| 2022-03-30 | Q2209980004 | 0.0149 ppm |
| 2023-02-23 | Q2307630004 | 0.0233 ppm |
| 2023-06-01 | Q2320524003 | 0.0297 ppm |