Nitrate
Okeechobee Utility Authority
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 | 0.465 ppm | 15 | 14 | ND - 1.30 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.600 ppm | 16 | 16 | 0.180 ppm - 1.60 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.476 ppm | 10 | 9 | ND - 0.890 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.298 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.140 ppm - 0.608 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.389 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.254 ppm - 0.530 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.282 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.225 ppm - 0.326 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 |
|---|---|
| 2014-03-05 | 0.190 ppm |
| 2014-04-21 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2014-05-27 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2014-06-04 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2014-06-04 | 0.551 ppm |
| 2014-06-04 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2014-06-04 | 1.30 ppm |
| 2014-07-07 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2014-07-29 | 0.360 ppm |
| 2014-08-11 | 0.320 ppm |
| 2014-09-03 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2014-09-03 | 0.400 ppm |
| 2014-09-03 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2014-09-03 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2014-10-20 | ND |
| 2015-02-04 | 0.180 ppm |
| 2015-03-05 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2015-03-05 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2015-03-05 | 0.340 ppm |
| 2015-03-06 | 0.350 ppm |
| 2015-05-11 | 0.320 ppm |
| 2015-06-04 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2015-06-04 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2015-06-04 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2015-06-04 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2015-06-25 | 1.60 ppm |
| 2015-06-25 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2015-07-02 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2015-07-02 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2015-07-07 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2015-10-12 | 0.210 ppm |
| 2016-03-02 | 0.250 ppm |
| 2016-05-02 | 0.150 ppm |
| 2016-06-13 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2016-07-11 | 0.360 ppm |
| 2016-08-08 | ND |
| 2016-09-09 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2016-09-09 | 0.510 ppm |
| 2016-09-09 | 0.890 ppm |
| 2016-09-09 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2016-10-12 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2017-03-14 | 0.150 ppm |
| 2017-06-08 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2017-09-21 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2017-10-11 | 0.391 ppm |
| 2017-11-15 | 0.608 ppm |
| 2018-02-22 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2018-05-02 | 0.254 ppm |
| 2018-07-02 | 0.388 ppm |
| 2018-07-02 | 0.381 ppm |
| 2018-11-13 | 0.393 ppm |
| 2019-02-20 | 0.326 ppm |
| 2019-04-24 | 0.306 ppm |
| 2019-07-02 | 0.225 ppm |
| 2019-07-30 | 0.298 ppm |
| 2019-10-29 | 0.256 ppm |