Nitrate

Collierville Water Department

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
2013	N/A	0	0	N/A
2014	0.370 ppm	4	4	0.200 ppm - 0.490 ppm
2015	0.410 ppm	4	4	0.190 ppm - 0.590 ppm
2016	0.404 ppm	4	4	0.206 ppm - 0.632 ppm
2017	0.329 ppm	4	4	0.179 ppm - 0.409 ppm
2018	0.454 ppm	4	4	0.249 ppm - 0.677 ppm
2019	0.466 ppm	4	4	0.230 ppm - 0.692 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
2014-03-03	0.200 ppm
2014-03-03	0.490 ppm
2014-03-03	0.360 ppm
2014-03-03	0.430 ppm
2015-03-02	0.410 ppm
2015-03-02	0.190 ppm
2015-03-02	0.590 ppm
2015-03-02	0.450 ppm
2016-03-14	0.362 ppm
2016-03-14	0.206 ppm
2016-03-14	0.632 ppm
2016-03-14	0.414 ppm
2017-03-13	0.363 ppm
2017-03-13	0.363 ppm
2017-03-13	0.409 ppm
2017-03-13	0.179 ppm
2018-05-15	0.460 ppm
2018-05-15	0.249 ppm
2018-05-15	0.677 ppm
2018-05-15	0.430 ppm
2019-03-11	0.513 ppm
2019-03-11	0.230 ppm
2019-03-11	0.692 ppm
2019-03-11	0.428 ppm