Nitrate

Grafton 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	1.04 ppm	5	5	0.0260 ppm - 2.20 ppm
2016	0.901 ppm	5	5	0.0660 ppm - 2.20 ppm
2017	N/A	0	0	N/A
2018	0.982 ppm	5	5	0.180 ppm - 2.30 ppm
2019	0.894 ppm	5	4	ND - 2.70 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
2015-03-04	846462	0.460 ppm
2015-03-04	846450	1.10 ppm
2015-03-04	846465	1.40 ppm
2015-03-04	846467	2.20 ppm
2015-03-04	846457	0.0260 ppm
2016-03-16	910602	0.0660 ppm
2016-03-16	910608	0.280 ppm
2016-03-16	910610	0.860 ppm
2016-03-16	910600	1.10 ppm
2016-03-16	910612	2.20 ppm
2018-03-14	1045242	0.180 ppm
2018-03-14	1045246	2.30 ppm
2018-03-14	1045245	1.40 ppm
2018-03-14	1045241	0.720 ppm
2018-03-14	1045244	0.310 ppm
2019-03-18	1110129	ND
2019-03-18	1110133	0.350 ppm
2019-03-18	1110135	1.30 ppm
2019-03-18	1110137	2.70 ppm
2019-04-17	1116389	0.120 ppm