Nitrate
Fort Belknap 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.226 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0670 ppm - 0.488 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.197 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.0910 ppm - 0.501 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.395 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.280 ppm - 0.584 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.210 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.144 ppm - 0.324 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.167 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0791 ppm - 0.215 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.387 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.339 ppm - 0.465 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-06-09 | Q1420056003 | 0.0670 ppm |
| 2014-08-13 | Q1436359002 | 0.122 ppm |
| 2014-08-13 | Q1436359001 | 0.488 ppm |
| 2015-03-04 | Q1508359001 | 0.0970 ppm |
| 2015-03-04 | Q1508359005 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2015-03-04 | Q1508359004 | 0.0910 ppm |
| 2015-06-22 | Q1523137001 | 0.501 ppm |
| 2016-03-22 | Q1611825001 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2016-06-08 | Q1623032001 | 0.320 ppm |
| 2016-06-08 | Q1623032002 | 0.584 ppm |
| 2017-03-09 | Q1710224003 | 0.163 ppm |
| 2017-03-09 | Q1710224002 | 0.324 ppm |
| 2017-03-09 | Q1710224001 | 0.144 ppm |
| 2018-02-27 | Q1808120002 | 0.0791 ppm |
| 2018-11-15 | Q1846723003 | 0.215 ppm |
| 2018-11-15 | Q1846723002 | 0.206 ppm |
| 2019-02-14 | Q1907063002 | 0.465 ppm |
| 2019-05-23 | Q1928389001 | 0.339 ppm |
| 2019-05-23 | Q1928389002 | 0.356 ppm |