Nitrate
Tryon Road Special Utility 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.
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 | 0.287 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.254 ppm - 0.338 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.379 ppm | 4 | 4 | 0.262 ppm - 0.500 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.274 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.222 ppm - 0.355 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.189 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.169 ppm - 0.209 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.265 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.146 ppm - 0.460 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.204 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0862 ppm - 0.281 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-07-24 | Q1430823019 | 0.338 ppm |
| 2014-07-24 | Q1430823006 | 0.271 ppm |
| 2014-07-24 | Q1430823005 | 0.254 ppm |
| 2014-07-24 | Q1430823002 | 0.265 ppm |
| 2014-07-24 | Q1430823001 | 0.308 ppm |
| 2015-11-24 | Q1546702004 | 0.357 ppm |
| 2015-11-24 | Q1546702003 | 0.262 ppm |
| 2015-11-24 | Q1546702002 | 0.395 ppm |
| 2015-11-24 | Q1546702001 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2016-11-09 | Q1648803004 | 0.222 ppm |
| 2016-11-09 | Q1648803003 | 0.355 ppm |
| 2016-11-09 | Q1648803002 | 0.236 ppm |
| 2016-11-09 | Q1648803001 | 0.266 ppm |
| 2016-11-09 | Q1648803014 | 0.292 ppm |
| 2017-08-10 | Q1734515005 | 0.182 ppm |
| 2017-08-10 | Q1734515030 | 0.169 ppm |
| 2017-08-10 | Q1734515004 | 0.196 ppm |
| 2017-08-10 | Q1734515002 | 0.189 ppm |
| 2017-08-10 | Q1734515015 | 0.209 ppm |
| 2018-11-28 | Q1848464014 | 0.146 ppm |
| 2018-11-28 | Q1848464013 | 0.250 ppm |
| 2018-11-28 | Q1848464012 | 0.218 ppm |
| 2018-11-28 | Q1848464011 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2018-11-28 | Q1848464010 | 0.250 ppm |
| 2019-03-21 | Q1911930014 | 0.0862 ppm |
| 2019-03-21 | Q1911930011 | 0.247 ppm |
| 2019-03-21 | Q1911930008 | 0.173 ppm |
| 2019-03-21 | Q1911930001 | 0.281 ppm |
| 2019-03-21 | Q1911930007 | 0.234 ppm |