Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

City of Moses Lake

Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.

 

78

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

33

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.410 ppm1810ND - 2.79 ppm
20191.45 ppm1913ND - 6.34 ppm
2020N/A00N/A
20210.726 ppm2312ND - 5.10 ppm
20220.249 ppm187ND - 1.48 ppm
2023N/A00N/A

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

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-03-28ND
2018-03-28ND
2018-03-281.63 ppm
2018-03-29ND
2018-03-290.280 ppm
2018-05-152.79 ppm
2018-06-280.0900 ppm
2018-07-02ND
2018-07-051.11 ppm
2018-07-050.120 ppm
2018-07-09ND
2018-07-090.0800 ppm
2018-08-130.840 ppm
2018-09-10ND
2018-09-100.180 ppm
2018-09-10ND
2018-09-110.260 ppm
2018-12-10ND
2019-02-076.34 ppm
2019-03-26ND
2019-03-260.460 ppm
2019-03-26ND
2019-03-271.77 ppm
2019-04-020.660 ppm
2019-07-02ND
2019-07-02ND
2019-07-02ND
2019-07-022.07 ppm
2019-07-022.53 ppm
2019-07-024.35 ppm
2019-09-101.14 ppm
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-080.110 ppm
2019-10-090.0700 ppm
2019-11-122.12 ppm
2019-11-205.65 ppm
2019-12-030.240 ppm
2021-02-0240703155.10 ppm
2021-03-084082163ND
2021-03-0840821620.190 ppm
2021-04-1340977852.77 ppm
2021-05-1241091240.440 ppm
2021-06-0942188120.1000 ppm
2021-06-144125930ND
2021-07-214146266ND
2021-07-2141462671.31 ppm
2021-07-214146265ND
2021-07-214146250ND
2021-07-2741462690.1000 ppm
2021-08-1841670050.0700 ppm
2021-09-014167018ND
2021-09-014167019ND
2021-09-0141670170.870 ppm
2021-09-2741761542.41 ppm
2021-10-064186011ND
2021-10-064186012ND
2021-10-064186009ND
2021-10-0641860103.16 ppm
2021-11-0842017750.170 ppm
2021-12-074245713ND
2022-03-1042564770.793 ppm
2022-03-104256478ND
2022-03-154252265ND
2022-03-224261444ND
2022-03-2242614480.140 ppm
2022-03-224261446ND
2022-03-224261482ND
2022-03-2242614801.48 ppm
2022-04-1842667640.723 ppm
2022-06-064288930ND
2022-06-0642889310.258 ppm
2022-06-1342907280.194 ppm
2022-08-164330213ND
2022-09-1243551850.888 ppm
2022-09-124344699ND
2022-10-064355192ND
2022-10-064354261ND
2022-10-264361002ND