Nitrate

Town of Sturgis

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	ND	3	0	ND
2015	ND	3	0	ND
2016	ND	3	0	ND
2017	ND	3	0	ND
2018	ND	3	0	ND
2019	0.127 ppm	3	2	ND - 0.220 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
2014-05-05	140506-074NI	ND
2014-05-05	140506-073NI	ND
2014-05-05	140506-068NI	ND
2015-04-20	150421-139NI	ND
2015-04-20	150421-120NI	ND
2015-04-20	150421-099NI	ND
2016-05-02	160503-031NI	ND
2016-05-02	160503-033NI	ND
2016-05-02	160503-032NI	ND
2017-03-13	170314-028NI	ND
2017-03-13	170314-025NI	ND
2017-03-13	170314-024NI	ND
2018-03-12	180313-060NI	ND
2018-03-12	180313-056NI	ND
2018-03-12	180313-055NI	ND
2019-04-09	190410-017NI	0.160 ppm
2019-04-09	190410-019NI	0.220 ppm
2019-04-09	190410-018NI	ND