Nitrate

Red Wing

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	0.178 ppm	6	2	ND - 0.990 ppm
2015	0.545 ppm	2	2	0.110 ppm - 0.980 ppm
2016	0.485 ppm	2	2	0.0600 ppm - 0.910 ppm
2017	0.540 ppm	2	2	0.120 ppm - 0.960 ppm
2018	0.550 ppm	2	2	0.120 ppm - 0.980 ppm
2019	0.540 ppm	2	2	0.0800 ppm - 1.000 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
2014-08-19	14H1849-01	ND
2014-08-19	14H1849-02	ND
2014-08-19	14H1849-03	ND
2014-08-19	14H1849-04	ND
2014-09-30	14J0050-01	0.0800 ppm
2014-09-30	14J0050-02	0.990 ppm
2015-08-19	15H1498-01	0.110 ppm
2015-08-19	15H1498-02	0.980 ppm
2016-05-25	16E2182-01	0.0600 ppm
2016-05-25	16E2182-02	0.910 ppm
2017-05-17	17E1548-01	0.120 ppm
2017-05-17	17E1548-02	0.960 ppm
2018-04-24	18D1404-01	0.120 ppm
2018-04-24	18D1404-02	0.980 ppm
2019-07-31	19H0160-01	0.0800 ppm
2019-07-31	19H0160-02	1.000 ppm