Nitrate
Auburn Water District
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 | 0.960 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.190 ppm - 1.80 ppm |
2015 | 0.968 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.200 ppm - 2.00 ppm |
2016 | 1.05 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.300 ppm - 2.20 ppm |
2017 | 0.579 ppm | 7 | 6 | ND - 1.59 ppm |
2018 | 0.939 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.125 ppm - 2.05 ppm |
2019 | 0.791 ppm | 7 | 7 | 0.0956 ppm - 1.74 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 |
---|---|
2014-05-20 | 1.80 ppm |
2014-05-20 | 1.30 ppm |
2014-05-20 | 0.350 ppm |
2014-05-20 | 0.190 ppm |
2014-05-20 | 1.70 ppm |
2014-06-23 | 0.420 ppm |
2015-05-19 | 1.50 ppm |
2015-05-19 | 2.00 ppm |
2015-05-19 | 1.30 ppm |
2015-05-19 | 0.410 ppm |
2015-05-19 | 0.200 ppm |
2015-05-19 | 0.400 ppm |
2016-05-23 | 0.570 ppm |
2016-05-23 | 0.410 ppm |
2016-05-23 | 0.300 ppm |
2016-05-23 | 1.20 ppm |
2016-05-23 | 2.20 ppm |
2016-05-23 | 1.60 ppm |
2017-05-17 | 1.11 ppm |
2017-05-17 | 0.177 ppm |
2017-05-17 | 0.526 ppm |
2017-05-17 | 1.59 ppm |
2017-05-17 | 0.274 ppm |
2017-05-17 | 0.375 ppm |
2017-05-17 | ND |
2018-05-30 | 2.05 ppm |
2018-05-30 | 0.451 ppm |
2018-05-30 | 0.297 ppm |
2018-05-30 | 0.125 ppm |
2018-05-30 | 1.08 ppm |
2018-05-30 | 1.63 ppm |
2019-08-27 | 1.000 ppm |
2019-08-27 | 1.74 ppm |
2019-08-27 | 0.0956 ppm |
2019-08-27 | 0.409 ppm |
2019-08-27 | 1.54 ppm |
2019-08-27 | 0.297 ppm |
2019-08-27 | 0.453 ppm |