Nitrate

River Falls 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
2013	N/A	0	0	N/A
2014	N/A	0	0	N/A
2015	0.0982 ppm	5	5	0.0290 ppm - 0.320 ppm
2016	0.0306 ppm	5	5	0.0240 ppm - 0.0450 ppm
2017	N/A	0	0	N/A
2018	0.0518 ppm	5	2	ND - 0.190 ppm
2019	ND	5	0	ND

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
2015-09-24	885687	0.0320 ppm
2015-09-24	885685	0.0480 ppm
2015-09-24	885689	0.0620 ppm
2015-09-24	885686	0.320 ppm
2015-09-24	885688	0.0290 ppm
2016-05-31	923420	0.0240 ppm
2016-05-31	923423	0.0280 ppm
2016-05-31	923418	0.0280 ppm
2016-05-31	923421	0.0280 ppm
2016-05-31	923419	0.0450 ppm
2018-06-05	1060413	ND
2018-06-05	1060412	0.190 ppm
2018-06-05	1060416	0.0690 ppm
2018-06-05	1060414	ND
2018-06-05	1060411	ND
2019-09-10	1146563	ND
2019-09-10	1146564	ND
2019-09-10	1146562	ND
2019-09-10	1146565	ND
2019-09-10	1146567	ND