Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate

Concho Rural Water Pecan Creek

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.

 

30

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

30

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20182.66 ppm550.418 ppm - 8.32 ppm
20193.79 ppm550.684 ppm - 6.52 ppm
20201.25 ppm550.584 ppm - 1.83 ppm
20210.864 ppm550.297 ppm - 1.51 ppm
20220.736 ppm550.249 ppm - 0.983 ppm
20232.02 ppm550.309 ppm - 2.75 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
2018-02-21Q18072270041.65 ppm
2018-05-10Q18193820010.418 ppm
2018-05-10Q18193820031.62 ppm
2018-08-09Q18320540011.29 ppm
2018-12-05Q18497640018.32 ppm
2019-02-28Q19085940056.52 ppm
2019-02-28Q19085940060.684 ppm
2019-05-16Q19265170015.03 ppm
2019-07-31Q19495380013.98 ppm
2019-11-25Q19779760012.73 ppm
2020-03-04Q20082980041.24 ppm
2020-05-20Q20201100010.584 ppm
2020-05-20Q20201100021.83 ppm
2020-07-29Q20296630011.03 ppm
2020-11-17Q20454430011.55 ppm
2021-03-11Q21065200071.51 ppm
2021-05-19Q21131120010.434 ppm
2021-05-19Q21131120030.297 ppm
2021-09-15Q21252560011.14 ppm
2021-11-17Q21323380010.940 ppm
2022-03-03Q22074610050.923 ppm
2022-05-19Q22148320010.249 ppm
2022-05-19Q22148320020.706 ppm
2022-07-28Q22216880010.817 ppm
2022-11-09Q22338540010.983 ppm
2023-03-09Q23094680042.11 ppm
2023-05-18Q23187960010.309 ppm
2023-05-18Q23187960022.51 ppm
2023-08-10Q23332160012.44 ppm
2023-11-08Q23481210012.75 ppm