Nitrate
Myrtle Springs Water Supply Corporation
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 | 0.0909 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0227 ppm - 0.173 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0881 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0424 ppm - 0.176 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0462 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0276 ppm - 0.0792 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0395 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0327 ppm - 0.0455 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0460 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0431 ppm - 0.0487 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0343 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0252 ppm - 0.0377 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-06-28 | Q1825924004 | 0.0770 ppm |
| 2018-06-28 | Q1825924025 | 0.173 ppm |
| 2018-06-28 | Q1825924003 | 0.0227 ppm |
| 2019-08-26 | Q1959383001 | 0.0459 ppm |
| 2019-08-26 | Q1959383011 | 0.0424 ppm |
| 2019-08-26 | Q1959383012 | 0.176 ppm |
| 2020-03-23 | Q2012172008 | 0.0399 ppm |
| 2020-08-12 | Q2032124011 | 0.0792 ppm |
| 2020-08-12 | Q2032124015 | 0.0380 ppm |
| 2020-08-12 | Q2032124016 | 0.0276 ppm |
| 2021-06-29 | Q2116915024 | 0.0327 ppm |
| 2021-06-29 | Q2116915028 | 0.0383 ppm |
| 2021-06-29 | Q2116915027 | 0.0455 ppm |
| 2021-06-29 | Q2116915017 | 0.0414 ppm |
| 2022-06-09 | Q2216228012 | 0.0462 ppm |
| 2022-06-09 | Q2216228013 | 0.0487 ppm |
| 2022-06-09 | Q2216228014 | 0.0431 ppm |
| 2022-06-09 | Q2216228017 | 0.0459 ppm |
| 2023-04-19 | Q2314546001 | 0.0370 ppm |
| 2023-04-19 | Q2314546003 | 0.0377 ppm |
| 2023-04-19 | Q2314546022 | 0.0371 ppm |
| 2023-04-19 | Q2314546023 | 0.0252 ppm |