Nitrate

Beckley Water Company

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	0.150 ppm	2	1	ND - 0.300 ppm
2015	0.110 ppm	2	1	ND - 0.220 ppm
2016	0.140 ppm	2	1	ND - 0.280 ppm
2017	0.140 ppm	2	1	ND - 0.280 ppm
2018	0.210 ppm	2	2	0.0200 ppm - 0.400 ppm
2019	0.150 ppm	4	3	ND - 0.300 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
2014-03-11	IOC_1403966-01A	0.300 ppm
2014-03-11	IOC_1403974-01A	ND
2015-03-26	NIT_1503V34-01A	0.220 ppm
2015-03-26	NIT_1503V34-02A	ND
2016-03-11	16031571-01A-1	0.280 ppm
2016-03-11	16031574-01A-1	ND
2017-03-09	17031241-01A	0.280 ppm
2017-03-09	17031243-01A	ND
2018-01-26	18012852-01A	0.400 ppm
2018-01-26	18012852-02A	0.0200 ppm
2019-01-30	19013239-01A	0.300 ppm
2019-01-30	19013239-02A	0.0300 ppm
2019-03-27	19033202-01A	0.270 ppm
2019-03-27	19033202-02A	ND