Nitrate
City of Wichita Falls
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.554 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.132 ppm - 1.99 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.362 ppm | 7 | 7 | 0.0650 ppm - 0.684 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.224 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.166 ppm - 0.282 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.108 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0731 ppm - 0.142 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.177 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0781 ppm - 0.276 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.285 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0822 ppm - 0.488 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-05-13 | Q1415816003 | 0.132 ppm |
| 2014-08-14 | Q1436796002 | 0.389 ppm |
| 2014-08-14 | Q1436796016 | 1.99 ppm |
| 2014-11-12 | AC71790 | 0.270 ppm |
| 2014-11-12 | AC71783 | 0.260 ppm |
| 2014-11-12 | AC71791 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2015-02-09 | Q1505019009 | 0.275 ppm |
| 2015-02-09 | Q1505019008 | 0.402 ppm |
| 2015-02-09 | Q1505019005 | 0.376 ppm |
| 2015-05-11 | Q1517192001 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2015-05-11 | Q1517193003 | 0.684 ppm |
| 2015-09-22 | Q1537019004 | 0.0695 ppm |
| 2015-09-22 | Q1536995001 | 0.0650 ppm |
| 2016-02-01 | Q1604190005 | 0.166 ppm |
| 2016-02-01 | Q1604190004 | 0.282 ppm |
| 2017-03-06 | Q1709227004 | 0.0731 ppm |
| 2017-08-07 | Q1733093008 | 0.142 ppm |
| 2018-08-21 | Q1833473010 | 0.0781 ppm |
| 2018-11-14 | Q1846491005 | 0.276 ppm |
| 2019-05-14 | Q1925075004 | 0.488 ppm |
| 2019-08-19 | Q1956634004 | 0.0822 ppm |