Nitrate
City of Gilmer
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 | 0.0759 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0526 ppm - 0.118 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.162 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0451 ppm - 0.379 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.132 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0409 ppm - 0.310 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0437 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0393 ppm - 0.0481 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.157 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0402 ppm - 0.384 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0779 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0222 ppm - 0.172 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-08-30 | Q1834899011 | 0.118 ppm |
| 2018-08-30 | Q1834899012 | 0.0572 ppm |
| 2018-08-30 | Q1834899010 | 0.0526 ppm |
| 2019-10-10 | Q1972218011 | 0.379 ppm |
| 2019-10-10 | Q1972218012 | 0.0451 ppm |
| 2019-10-10 | Q1972218013 | 0.0620 ppm |
| 2020-08-24 | Q2033825007 | 0.0457 ppm |
| 2020-08-24 | Q2033825017 | 0.310 ppm |
| 2020-08-24 | Q2033825027 | 0.0409 ppm |
| 2021-04-01 | Q2108379010 | 0.0393 ppm |
| 2021-04-01 | Q2108379012 | 0.0438 ppm |
| 2021-04-01 | Q2108379011 | 0.0481 ppm |
| 2022-06-14 | Q2216508005 | 0.0402 ppm |
| 2022-10-24 | Q2231975001 | 0.384 ppm |
| 2022-10-24 | Q2231975008 | 0.0473 ppm |
| 2023-06-15 | Q2322781005 | 0.0222 ppm |
| 2023-06-15 | Q2322781006 | 0.0394 ppm |
| 2023-06-15 | Q2322781025 | 0.172 ppm |