Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate

Lacey Water Department

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.

 

86

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

67

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20181.88 ppm1914ND - 5.40 ppm
20191.83 ppm1713ND - 4.20 ppm
2020N/A00N/A
20211.99 ppm1815ND - 5.39 ppm
20221.76 ppm1511ND - 5.44 ppm
20231.38 ppm1714ND - 3.86 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
2018-04-11ND
2018-04-11ND
2018-04-111.40 ppm
2018-04-111.10 ppm
2018-04-113.30 ppm
2018-04-110.300 ppm
2018-04-110.500 ppm
2018-04-111.80 ppm
2018-04-123.30 ppm
2018-05-215.40 ppm
2018-05-213.30 ppm
2018-05-213.20 ppm
2018-05-213.20 ppm
2018-05-213.20 ppm
2018-05-212.90 ppm
2018-05-212.90 ppm
2018-10-22ND
2018-10-22ND
2018-10-22ND
2019-04-29ND
2019-04-293.40 ppm
2019-04-292.00 ppm
2019-04-290.600 ppm
2019-04-293.50 ppm
2019-04-291.50 ppm
2019-04-29ND
2019-04-290.500 ppm
2019-05-064.20 ppm
2019-05-06ND
2019-05-06ND
2019-05-063.30 ppm
2019-05-073.50 ppm
2019-07-013.10 ppm
2019-09-181.40 ppm
2019-11-053.90 ppm
2019-11-070.270 ppm
2021-04-2941093355.39 ppm
2021-05-0541152432.95 ppm
2021-05-1341140961.90 ppm
2021-05-1341140970.380 ppm
2021-06-1641363042.73 ppm
2021-06-164136305ND
2021-07-1341526380.900 ppm
2021-07-1341459122.55 ppm
2021-07-1341459111.03 ppm
2021-07-1441593661.74 ppm
2021-07-1441372025.34 ppm
2021-07-144159364ND
2021-08-1041593680.250 ppm
2021-08-104159369ND
2021-09-1341764082.62 ppm
2021-09-1441768642.71 ppm
2021-10-1242042300.290 ppm
2021-10-1241895675.03 ppm
2022-05-2342857140.400 ppm
2022-05-2342857132.04 ppm
2022-05-2342934992.94 ppm
2022-07-1943168395.44 ppm
2022-07-194318514ND
2022-08-1043320021.07 ppm
2022-08-104332004ND
2022-08-1143320062.89 ppm
2022-08-1143320051.82 ppm
2022-08-154323359ND
2022-08-1543233543.10 ppm
2022-08-154323357ND
2022-08-1643320071.09 ppm
2022-11-2843828512.79 ppm
2022-11-2843828502.86 ppm
2023-03-3044444930.240 ppm
2023-05-3044598683.86 ppm
2023-05-3044598670.650 ppm
2023-05-3044598663.02 ppm
2023-06-1344699521.80 ppm
2023-06-2144701330.660 ppm
2023-07-254497744ND
2023-08-084503881ND
2023-08-084503880ND
2023-08-0845038820.250 ppm
2023-08-1445060441.21 ppm
2023-08-1445060420.970 ppm
2023-08-1545060403.04 ppm
2023-08-2244946252.30 ppm
2023-09-1345292472.69 ppm
2023-09-1345292462.53 ppm
2023-09-1345292440.320 ppm