Nitrate
Wichita Valley 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 | 0.243 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0309 ppm - 0.425 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.466 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.226 ppm - 0.586 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.118 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0508 ppm - 0.256 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0482 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0224 ppm - 0.0907 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0480 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0300 ppm - 0.110 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.102 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0368 ppm - 0.181 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-08-21 | Q1833474002 | 0.0309 ppm |
| 2018-11-14 | Q1846499001 | 0.425 ppm |
| 2018-11-14 | Q1846499003 | 0.251 ppm |
| 2018-11-14 | Q1846499004 | 0.265 ppm |
| 2018-11-14 | Q1846499005 | 0.244 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | Q1927983008 | 0.510 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | Q1927983014 | 0.226 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | Q1927983007 | 0.508 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | Q1927983006 | 0.501 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | Q1927983005 | 0.586 ppm |
| 2020-09-03 | Q2035219008 | 0.0508 ppm |
| 2020-11-19 | Q2046292003 | 0.256 ppm |
| 2020-11-19 | Q2046292004 | 0.0838 ppm |
| 2020-11-19 | Q2046292005 | 0.106 ppm |
| 2020-11-19 | Q2046292006 | 0.0927 ppm |
| 2021-03-09 | Q2106054003 | 0.0907 ppm |
| 2021-03-09 | Q2106054006 | 0.0224 ppm |
| 2021-03-09 | Q2106054005 | 0.0270 ppm |
| 2021-03-09 | Q2106054004 | 0.0481 ppm |
| 2021-09-16 | Q2125411005 | 0.0528 ppm |
| 2022-03-09 | Q2208205005 | 0.0300 ppm |
| 2022-03-09 | Q2208205009 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2022-03-09 | Q2208205010 | 0.0300 ppm |
| 2022-03-09 | Q2208205011 | 0.0400 ppm |
| 2022-03-09 | Q2208205012 | 0.0300 ppm |
| 2023-08-02 | Q2331422001 | 0.0838 ppm |
| 2023-08-02 | Q2331422008 | 0.0368 ppm |
| 2023-08-02 | Q2331422010 | 0.181 ppm |
| 2023-08-02 | Q2331422011 | 0.0919 ppm |
| 2023-08-02 | Q2331422012 | 0.114 ppm |