Nitrate
Vera Water & Power
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 | 1.35 ppm | 9 | 9 | 0.623 ppm - 2.19 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.986 ppm | 9 | 9 | 0.571 ppm - 2.43 ppm |
| 2020 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2021 | 0.990 ppm | 8 | 8 | 0.575 ppm - 2.86 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.709 ppm | 9 | 9 | 0.590 ppm - 0.863 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.843 ppm | 8 | 8 | 0.390 ppm - 2.49 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 | 0.819 ppm | |
| 2018-05-29 | 1.04 ppm | |
| 2018-05-29 | 0.623 ppm | |
| 2018-08-09 | 2.18 ppm | |
| 2018-08-09 | 1.38 ppm | |
| 2018-08-09 | 1.08 ppm | |
| 2018-08-09 | 2.14 ppm | |
| 2018-08-09 | 2.19 ppm | |
| 2018-08-21 | 0.731 ppm | |
| 2019-08-29 | 0.728 ppm | |
| 2019-08-29 | 2.43 ppm | |
| 2019-08-29 | 0.968 ppm | |
| 2019-08-29 | 0.661 ppm | |
| 2019-08-29 | 0.625 ppm | |
| 2019-08-29 | 0.571 ppm | |
| 2019-08-29 | 1.18 ppm | |
| 2019-08-29 | 0.975 ppm | |
| 2019-08-29 | 0.736 ppm | |
| 2021-08-11 | 4199089 | 0.766 ppm |
| 2021-08-11 | 4199090 | 0.718 ppm |
| 2021-08-11 | 4199092 | 2.86 ppm |
| 2021-08-11 | 4199094 | 0.766 ppm |
| 2021-08-11 | 4199096 | 0.578 ppm |
| 2021-08-11 | 4199095 | 0.575 ppm |
| 2021-08-11 | 4199093 | 0.909 ppm |
| 2021-08-11 | 4199097 | 0.751 ppm |
| 2022-08-22 | 4326963 | 0.863 ppm |
| 2022-08-22 | 4326964 | 0.777 ppm |
| 2022-08-22 | 4326965 | 0.673 ppm |
| 2022-08-22 | 4326966 | 0.727 ppm |
| 2022-08-22 | 4326962 | 0.673 ppm |
| 2022-08-31 | 4434141 | 0.646 ppm |
| 2022-08-31 | 4434139 | 0.827 ppm |
| 2022-08-31 | 4434140 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2022-08-31 | 4434138 | 0.604 ppm |
| 2023-08-23 | 4545771 | 0.826 ppm |
| 2023-08-23 | 4545775 | 0.769 ppm |
| 2023-08-23 | 4545773 | 0.532 ppm |
| 2023-08-23 | 4545774 | 0.462 ppm |
| 2023-08-23 | 4545772 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2023-08-23 | 4545776 | 2.49 ppm |
| 2023-08-23 | 4545875 | 0.768 ppm |
| 2023-08-24 | 4500263 | 0.505 ppm |