Nitrate
Twin Buttes Water System
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 | 0.365 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.265 ppm - 0.452 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.683 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.195 ppm - 1.09 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.441 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.175 ppm - 0.667 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.282 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.222 ppm - 0.321 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.273 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.240 ppm - 0.318 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.287 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.195 ppm - 0.363 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-02-28 | Q1808690001 | 0.354 ppm |
| 2018-04-24 | Q1816858001 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2018-07-17 | Q1828265002 | 0.265 ppm |
| 2018-12-05 | Q1849763001 | 0.452 ppm |
| 2019-03-06 | Q1909522002 | 1.09 ppm |
| 2019-05-07 | Q1920788001 | 0.982 ppm |
| 2019-07-18 | Q1946081002 | 0.195 ppm |
| 2019-11-25 | Q1977973001 | 0.463 ppm |
| 2020-03-04 | Q2008300001 | 0.667 ppm |
| 2020-05-27 | Q2020854001 | 0.592 ppm |
| 2020-07-29 | Q2029661001 | 0.175 ppm |
| 2020-11-10 | Q2044086002 | 0.331 ppm |
| 2021-03-08 | Q2106086001 | 0.321 ppm |
| 2021-05-18 | Q2112977001 | 0.298 ppm |
| 2021-07-20 | Q2119117001 | 0.222 ppm |
| 2021-11-22 | Q2132535001 | 0.286 ppm |
| 2022-02-14 | Q2205303001 | 0.240 ppm |
| 2022-05-18 | Q2214758001 | 0.318 ppm |
| 2022-07-27 | Q2221509001 | 0.293 ppm |
| 2022-11-09 | Q2233853001 | 0.240 ppm |
| 2023-02-15 | Q2306327001 | 0.303 ppm |
| 2023-04-19 | Q2314555001 | 0.286 ppm |
| 2023-08-10 | Q2333218001 | 0.195 ppm |
| 2023-11-13 | Q2348438001 | 0.363 ppm |