Nitrate
Sand Flat 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 | 0.0196 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0172 ppm - 0.0213 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0202 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0140 ppm - 0.0326 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.00937 ppm | 3 | 2 | ND - 0.0147 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.00717 ppm | 3 | 2 | ND - 0.0112 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0204 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0137 ppm - 0.0263 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.00853 ppm | 3 | 2 | ND - 0.0133 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-05 | Q1808890003 | 0.0172 ppm |
| 2018-03-05 | Q1808890011 | 0.0202 ppm |
| 2018-03-05 | Q1808890001 | 0.0213 ppm |
| 2019-08-22 | Q1958681010 | 0.0140 ppm |
| 2019-08-22 | Q1958681012 | 0.0326 ppm |
| 2019-08-22 | Q1958681013 | 0.0141 ppm |
| 2020-06-11 | Q2023583011 | 0.0134 ppm |
| 2020-06-11 | Q2023583012 | ND |
| 2020-10-08 | Q2039611006 | 0.0147 ppm |
| 2021-08-05 | Q2120790003 | ND |
| 2021-08-05 | Q2120790005 | 0.0112 ppm |
| 2021-08-05 | Q2120790004 | 0.0103 ppm |
| 2022-05-19 | Q2214818011 | 0.0211 ppm |
| 2022-05-19 | Q2214818012 | 0.0263 ppm |
| 2022-05-19 | Q2214818013 | 0.0137 ppm |
| 2023-06-01 | Q2320545013 | 0.0133 ppm |
| 2023-06-01 | Q2320545014 | ND |
| 2023-06-01 | Q2320545024 | 0.0123 ppm |