Nitrate
Trinity Rural Water Supply Corporation 3
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 | 0.505 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0311 ppm - 0.789 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0921 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0432 ppm - 0.141 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.663 ppm | 1 | 1 | 0.663 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0543 ppm | 1 | 1 | 0.0543 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0643 ppm | 1 | 1 | 0.0643 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0349 ppm | 1 | 1 | 0.0349 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-12-04 | Q1849502002 | 0.695 ppm |
| 2018-12-04 | Q1849502004 | 0.789 ppm |
| 2018-12-04 | Q1849502010 | 0.0311 ppm |
| 2019-12-09 | Q1979262001 | 0.0432 ppm |
| 2019-12-09 | Q1979262005 | 0.141 ppm |
| 2020-11-03 | Q2042586004 | 0.663 ppm |
| 2021-04-14 | Q2109670006 | 0.0543 ppm |
| 2022-05-04 | Q2213426004 | 0.0643 ppm |
| 2023-09-27 | Q2341616004 | 0.0349 ppm |