Nitrate

Fort Atkinson Waterworks

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

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	N/A	0	0	N/A
2015	0.262 ppm	5	4	ND - 0.880 ppm
2016	0.291 ppm	5	5	0.0230 ppm - 0.570 ppm
2017	N/A	0	0	N/A
2018	0.290 ppm	5	4	ND - 0.770 ppm
2019	0.610 ppm	4	3	ND - 2.10 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
2015-08-26	879076	0.110 ppm
2015-08-26	879080	0.140 ppm
2015-08-26	879082	0.180 ppm
2015-08-26	879078	0.880 ppm
2015-08-26	879074	ND
2016-08-17	940098	0.570 ppm
2016-08-17	940099	0.520 ppm
2016-08-17	940100	0.210 ppm
2016-08-17	940097	0.130 ppm
2016-08-17	940096	0.0230 ppm
2018-07-25	1069618	ND
2018-07-25	1069619	0.110 ppm
2018-07-25	1069622	0.200 ppm
2018-07-25	1069621	0.370 ppm
2018-07-25	1069620	0.770 ppm
2019-09-24	1150918	ND
2019-09-24	1150917	0.230 ppm
2019-09-24	1150919	2.10 ppm
2019-12-16	1165763	0.110 ppm