Nitrate
Jackson 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 | 0.0306 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0232 ppm - 0.0384 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0312 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0236 ppm - 0.0382 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0291 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0192 ppm - 0.0399 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0284 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0151 ppm - 0.0429 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0269 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0179 ppm - 0.0359 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0259 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0140 ppm - 0.0364 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-12-05 | Q1849735003 | 0.0243 ppm |
| 2018-12-05 | Q1849735018 | 0.0363 ppm |
| 2018-12-05 | Q1849735019 | 0.0232 ppm |
| 2018-12-05 | Q1849735002 | 0.0384 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | Q1931259007 | 0.0260 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | Q1931259008 | 0.0382 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | Q1931259009 | 0.0370 ppm |
| 2019-06-04 | Q1931259010 | 0.0236 ppm |
| 2020-08-19 | Q2033205013 | 0.0399 ppm |
| 2020-08-19 | Q2033205014 | 0.0380 ppm |
| 2020-08-19 | Q2033205015 | 0.0192 ppm |
| 2020-08-19 | Q2033205027 | 0.0193 ppm |
| 2021-01-20 | Q2101457011 | 0.0429 ppm |
| 2021-01-20 | Q2101457013 | 0.0151 ppm |
| 2021-01-20 | Q2101457012 | 0.0209 ppm |
| 2021-10-21 | Q2129820006 | 0.0348 ppm |
| 2022-04-05 | Q2210384009 | 0.0179 ppm |
| 2022-04-05 | Q2210384010 | 0.0359 ppm |
| 2022-04-05 | Q2210384011 | 0.0225 ppm |
| 2022-07-25 | Q2220978009 | 0.0314 ppm |
| 2023-10-11 | Q2343424017 | 0.0352 ppm |
| 2023-10-11 | Q2343424018 | 0.0364 ppm |
| 2023-10-11 | Q2343424019 | 0.0178 ppm |
| 2023-10-11 | Q2343424032 | 0.0140 ppm |