Nitrate
JBLM Lewis
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 | 0.446 ppm | 12 | 11 | ND - 1.81 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.569 ppm | 9 | 7 | ND - 2.31 ppm |
| 2020 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2021 | 0.274 ppm | 14 | 7 | ND - 0.970 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.208 ppm | 6 | 3 | ND - 0.690 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.333 ppm | 9 | 4 | ND - 1.06 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-05-29 | 0.800 ppm | |
| 2018-08-08 | 0.366 ppm | |
| 2018-08-08 | 0.366 ppm | |
| 2018-08-08 | 0.366 ppm | |
| 2018-08-08 | 0.272 ppm | |
| 2018-08-08 | 0.234 ppm | |
| 2018-08-08 | 0.234 ppm | |
| 2018-08-08 | 0.173 ppm | |
| 2018-08-21 | 0.529 ppm | |
| 2018-08-21 | 1.81 ppm | |
| 2018-08-21 | ND | |
| 2018-08-21 | 0.200 ppm | |
| 2019-07-31 | ND | |
| 2019-07-31 | 0.490 ppm | |
| 2019-07-31 | 0.195 ppm | |
| 2019-07-31 | 0.667 ppm | |
| 2019-07-31 | 2.31 ppm | |
| 2019-07-31 | 0.364 ppm | |
| 2019-07-31 | 0.661 ppm | |
| 2019-07-31 | 0.434 ppm | |
| 2019-12-16 | ND | |
| 2021-06-16 | 4213499 | ND |
| 2021-06-16 | 4213500 | 0.821 ppm |
| 2021-06-16 | 4213498 | ND |
| 2021-06-16 | 4213497 | 0.136 ppm |
| 2021-06-28 | 4145042 | ND |
| 2021-07-22 | 4213506 | ND |
| 2021-07-22 | 4213505 | 0.202 ppm |
| 2021-07-22 | 4213507 | 0.431 ppm |
| 2021-07-22 | 4213508 | ND |
| 2021-11-19 | 4207248 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2021-11-19 | 4207247 | 0.970 ppm |
| 2021-11-19 | 4207247 | 0.970 ppm |
| 2021-11-19 | 4207254 | ND |
| 2021-11-19 | 4207249 | ND |
| 2022-05-04 | 4286920 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2022-07-12 | 4336645 | ND |
| 2022-07-27 | 4332294 | ND |
| 2022-09-07 | 4336806 | ND |
| 2022-09-08 | 4336808 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2022-09-08 | 4336808 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2023-04-05 | 4440070 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2023-04-05 | 4440080 | 1.06 ppm |
| 2023-04-12 | 4443047 | ND |
| 2023-04-12 | 4443047 | ND |
| 2023-04-13 | 4443044 | 0.470 ppm |
| 2023-04-13 | 4443044 | 0.470 ppm |
| 2023-06-15 | 4470069 | ND |
| 2023-09-06 | 4521509 | ND |
| 2023-10-03 | 4538158 | ND |