Nitrate
Nitrate is the most-common chemical contaminant in the world’s groundwater aquifers. Nitrate is a regulated drinking water contaminant with an established state and federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 mg/L (as N). Information on health effects related to nitrate can be found in the resources listed at the bottom of this page.
Golden State Water routinely monitors and tests for more than 230 contaminants to ensure the water we deliver to customers meets all state and federal drinking water standards. Golden State Water makes water quality information available via annual Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR).
Water quality test results are directly submitted by the State certified laboratory to the State of California’s Division of Drinking Water (DDW) and recorded on the State’s website for full transparency. Click here to view test results on the DDW website.
As your water provider, we continually invest in water infrastructure, treatment and testing and take great pride in providing you with high-quality, reliable water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Nitrate and where does it come
from?
A: Nitrate is a chemical that is produced in the atmosphere
from nitrogen and occurs in groundwater at concentrations below 2
mg/L. High concentrations of nitrate in groundwater are generally
associated with septic systems, confined animal feeding
operations or fertilizer use. Nitrates are also present in
treated wastewater and can be present in surface water. In
addition, nitrate is used in industry, for example, in the
production of fertilizers and explosives.
Q: Has Nitrate been found in my drinking
water?
A: All water served is below the MCL for nitrate. Nitrate
levels below the MCL have been detected in treated
drinking water in 37 of our water systems. Systems with
groundwater sources that have nitrate levels above the MCL have
treatment in place to ensure that the drinking water provided to
customers meets state and federal water quality
standards. Click here to see a summary table of recent
nitrate results.
Q: How is Nitrate removed from contaminated
source water?
A: Methods to remove nitrate from contaminated source
waters include distillation, reverse osmosis, ion exchange,
electro-dialysis, and biochemical denitrification. Golden State
Water uses ion exchange and blending to produce drinking water
with nitrate levels below the MCL.
Customers with questions about nitrate, drinking water regulations or the drinking water served to their community are asked to contact Golden State Water’s 24-hour Customer Service Center at 800.999.4033 and request to speak with your local Water Quality Engineer.
Resources for Additional Information
State Water Resources Control Board
State Water Resources Control Board (Groundwater Information Sheet)