Nitrate
Hemlock Farms (main)
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.
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 | 0.268 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 0.524 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.266 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 0.602 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.264 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 0.645 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.245 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 0.619 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.276 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 0.665 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.241 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 0.514 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-08 | 1312-01030 | ND |
| 2014-01-08 | 1312-01033 | 0.524 ppm |
| 2014-01-08 | 1312-01031 | 0.328 ppm |
| 2014-01-08 | 1312-01032 | 0.323 ppm |
| 2014-01-08 | 1312-01034 | 0.164 ppm |
| 2015-01-21 | 12304874 | 0.153 ppm |
| 2015-01-21 | 12304866 | ND |
| 2015-01-21 | 12304872 | 0.602 ppm |
| 2015-01-21 | 12304868 | 0.242 ppm |
| 2015-01-21 | 12304870 | 0.334 ppm |
| 2016-01-13 | 13771689 | 0.645 ppm |
| 2016-01-13 | 13771687 | 0.308 ppm |
| 2016-01-13 | 13771685 | 0.222 ppm |
| 2016-01-13 | 13771691 | 0.147 ppm |
| 2016-01-13 | 13771683 | ND |
| 2017-01-05 | 15539123 | 0.619 ppm |
| 2017-01-05 | 15539117 | ND |
| 2017-01-05 | 15539119 | 0.180 ppm |
| 2017-01-05 | 15539121 | 0.287 ppm |
| 2017-03-06 | 15816789 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2018-10-09 | 1712-01341 | 0.302 ppm |
| 2018-10-09 | 1712-01340 | 0.239 ppm |
| 2018-10-09 | 1712-01342 | 0.665 ppm |
| 2018-10-09 | 1712-01339 | ND |
| 2018-10-09 | 1712-01343 | 0.172 ppm |
| 2019-03-06 | 1812-00404 | 0.514 ppm |
| 2019-03-06 | 1812-00401 | ND |
| 2019-03-06 | 1812-00402 | 0.194 ppm |
| 2019-03-06 | 1812-00403 | 0.312 ppm |
| 2019-03-06 | 1812-00405 | 0.185 ppm |