Nitrate
Wellfleet Municipal Water System
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.
Testing results - average by year
Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | 0.745 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.700 ppm - 0.790 ppm |
2015 | 0.0550 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0500 ppm - 0.0600 ppm |
2016 | 0.0800 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0400 ppm - 0.120 ppm |
2017 | 0.0605 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.0530 ppm - 0.0680 ppm |
2018 | 0.720 ppm | 3 | 1 | ND - 2.16 ppm |
2019 | 0.232 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.107 ppm - 0.297 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 | Result |
---|---|
2014-04-08 | 0.700 ppm |
2014-04-08 | 0.790 ppm |
2015-04-14 | 0.0600 ppm |
2015-04-14 | 0.0500 ppm |
2016-04-19 | 0.120 ppm |
2016-04-19 | 0.0400 ppm |
2017-04-17 | 0.0680 ppm |
2017-04-17 | 0.0530 ppm |
2018-06-26 | ND |
2018-06-26 | ND |
2018-08-28 | 2.16 ppm |
2019-04-08 | 0.291 ppm |
2019-04-08 | 0.297 ppm |
2019-07-09 | 0.107 ppm |