Nitrate
Concho Rural Water The Oaks
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 | 0.834 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.418 ppm - 1.25 ppm |
| 2019 | 2.88 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.355 ppm - 8.93 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.349 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.263 ppm - 0.464 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.842 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.262 ppm - 1.17 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.609 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.218 ppm - 1.18 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.234 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.223 ppm - 0.244 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-05-10 | Q1819384014 | 0.418 ppm |
| 2018-05-10 | Q1819384003 | 1.25 ppm |
| 2019-02-28 | Q1908597006 | 0.561 ppm |
| 2019-02-28 | Q1908597007 | 8.93 ppm |
| 2019-05-16 | Q1926520002 | 2.91 ppm |
| 2019-07-31 | Q1949540001 | 1.65 ppm |
| 2019-11-25 | Q1977979001 | 0.355 ppm |
| 2020-03-04 | Q2008301005 | 0.464 ppm |
| 2020-05-20 | Q2020113005 | 0.263 ppm |
| 2020-05-20 | Q2020113006 | 0.350 ppm |
| 2020-07-29 | Q2029666001 | 0.292 ppm |
| 2020-11-17 | Q2045446001 | 0.377 ppm |
| 2021-03-11 | Q2106523015 | 0.807 ppm |
| 2021-03-11 | Q2106523016 | 0.262 ppm |
| 2021-05-19 | Q2113115001 | 0.988 ppm |
| 2021-09-15 | Q2125258001 | 1.17 ppm |
| 2021-11-17 | Q2132340001 | 0.981 ppm |
| 2022-03-03 | Q2207463004 | 1.18 ppm |
| 2022-05-19 | Q2214835004 | 0.614 ppm |
| 2022-05-19 | Q2214835005 | 0.422 ppm |
| 2022-07-28 | Q2221690001 | 0.218 ppm |
| 2023-05-18 | Q2318799005 | 0.244 ppm |
| 2023-05-18 | Q2318799006 | 0.223 ppm |