Nitrate
Sharon 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 | 0.0411 ppm | 8 | 8 | 0.0154 ppm - 0.0694 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0321 ppm | 10 | 10 | 0.0164 ppm - 0.0482 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0376 ppm | 10 | 10 | 0.0162 ppm - 0.0542 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0364 ppm | 10 | 10 | 0.0153 ppm - 0.0630 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0322 ppm | 9 | 9 | 0.0193 ppm - 0.0414 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0310 ppm | 8 | 8 | 0.0198 ppm - 0.0426 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-13 | Q1810062024 | 0.0362 ppm |
| 2018-03-13 | Q1810062025 | 0.0447 ppm |
| 2018-03-13 | Q1810062026 | 0.0361 ppm |
| 2018-03-13 | Q1810062027 | 0.0694 ppm |
| 2018-03-13 | Q1810062028 | 0.0154 ppm |
| 2018-03-13 | Q1810062029 | 0.0240 ppm |
| 2018-03-13 | Q1810062030 | 0.0550 ppm |
| 2018-03-13 | Q1810062023 | 0.0482 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | Q1911547002 | 0.0353 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | Q1911547003 | 0.0245 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | Q1911547008 | 0.0164 ppm |
| 2019-06-06 | Q1932969022 | 0.0255 ppm |
| 2019-06-06 | Q1932969041 | 0.0438 ppm |
| 2019-06-06 | Q1932969040 | 0.0399 ppm |
| 2019-06-06 | Q1932969025 | 0.0205 ppm |
| 2019-06-06 | Q1932969024 | 0.0482 ppm |
| 2019-06-06 | Q1932969023 | 0.0366 ppm |
| 2019-06-06 | Q1932969003 | 0.0300 ppm |
| 2020-01-21 | Q2002254017 | 0.0333 ppm |
| 2020-01-21 | Q2002254025 | 0.0346 ppm |
| 2020-01-21 | Q2002254026 | 0.0360 ppm |
| 2020-04-08 | Q2014338007 | 0.0274 ppm |
| 2020-10-21 | Q2041036057 | 0.0377 ppm |
| 2020-10-21 | Q2041036040 | 0.0162 ppm |
| 2020-10-21 | Q2041036039 | 0.0492 ppm |
| 2020-10-21 | Q2041036023 | 0.0542 ppm |
| 2020-10-21 | Q2041036022 | 0.0368 ppm |
| 2020-10-21 | Q2041036024 | 0.0508 ppm |
| 2021-03-29 | Q2107862002 | 0.0630 ppm |
| 2021-11-23 | Q2132764031 | 0.0423 ppm |
| 2021-11-23 | Q2132764034 | 0.0259 ppm |
| 2021-11-23 | Q2132764033 | 0.0153 ppm |
| 2021-11-23 | Q2132764032 | 0.0397 ppm |
| 2021-11-23 | Q2132764030 | 0.0497 ppm |
| 2021-11-23 | Q2132764029 | 0.0271 ppm |
| 2021-11-23 | Q2132764026 | 0.0364 ppm |
| 2021-11-23 | Q2132764025 | 0.0366 ppm |
| 2021-11-23 | Q2132764008 | 0.0282 ppm |
| 2022-03-09 | Q2208229003 | 0.0400 ppm |
| 2022-03-09 | Q2208229005 | 0.0300 ppm |
| 2022-10-20 | Q2231930001 | 0.0359 ppm |
| 2022-10-20 | Q2231930031 | 0.0306 ppm |
| 2022-10-20 | Q2231930030 | 0.0242 ppm |
| 2022-10-20 | Q2231930029 | 0.0193 ppm |
| 2022-10-20 | Q2231930028 | 0.0370 ppm |
| 2022-10-20 | Q2231930027 | 0.0414 ppm |
| 2022-10-20 | Q2231930026 | 0.0314 ppm |
| 2023-01-11 | Q2301806001 | 0.0308 ppm |
| 2023-08-15 | Q2334031014 | 0.0198 ppm |
| 2023-08-15 | Q2334031025 | 0.0381 ppm |
| 2023-08-15 | Q2334031027 | 0.0344 ppm |
| 2023-10-25 | Q2346021022 | 0.0312 ppm |
| 2023-10-25 | Q2346021023 | 0.0426 ppm |
| 2023-10-25 | Q2346021024 | 0.0200 ppm |
| 2023-10-25 | Q2346021039 | 0.0314 ppm |