Nitrates are an important contaminant to test for if your home relies on a private well.
Unlike iron, sulfur, hardness, or manganese, nitrates generally don’t create an obvious taste, smell, color, or stain. The only way to know the nitrate level in your well water is to test for it.
At Artisanal Water Solutions, we test for nitrates during every private well water appointment. In our experience throughout the Lake Norman and greater Charlotte area, we find nitrates fairly often. Many of the levels we detect are below the EPA drinking-water standard, while occasionally we find concentrations above it.
When nitrate is present, the concentration—and who will be consuming the water—are important considerations when deciding how to treat it.
Nitrates in Well Water: Key Takeaways
- Nitrates generally cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled.
- The EPA recommends private well owners test for nitrate annually.
- The EPA drinking-water standard is 10 mg/L when measured as nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N).
- Artisanal Water Solutions tests nitrate at every private well water appointment.
- When nitrate is detected, we recommend reverse osmosis for drinking and cooking water.
- For homes with small children, we also recommend discussing whole-house nitrate treatment.
- The right treatment decision depends on the nitrate concentration, household, complete water chemistry, and desired level of protection.
What Are Nitrates?
Nitrate is a naturally occurring form of nitrogen found in the environment.
Potential sources include:
- Fertilizer
- Agricultural activity
- Animal waste
- Septic systems
- Sewage
- Surface-water infiltration
- Naturally occurring sources
Nitrate is highly soluble in water. Once it reaches groundwater, it can move through an aquifer and eventually enter a private well.
The presence of nitrate doesn’t necessarily tell you where it came from, but testing can determine how much is present in the water.
What Is the EPA Standard for Nitrate in Drinking Water?
The EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for nitrate in public drinking water is 10 mg/L when measured as nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N).
You’ll also commonly hear mg/L described approximately as parts per million, or ppm, in water.
It’s important to pay attention to how a laboratory reports nitrate because nitrate can be expressed using different units and forms. When comparing a test result with the EPA standard, make sure you’re comparing equivalent measurements.
Private wells aren’t regulated by the EPA in the same way as public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for testing and maintaining their drinking water.
Is Nitrate in Well Water a Health Concern?
At elevated concentrations, nitrate can present a health concern, particularly for infants under six months of age.
High nitrate levels can interfere with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen and can cause a condition known as methemoglobinemia, sometimes called “blue baby syndrome.”
EPA guidance says well water containing more than 10 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen should not be used to prepare infant formula or infant food.
It’s important to put this into perspective. Simply detecting nitrate doesn’t mean the water exceeds the EPA drinking-water standard.
The concentration matters.
Why We Test for Nitrates at Every Well Water Appointment
At Artisanal Water Solutions, nitrate is part of our standard private well water testing process because homeowners generally have no way of knowing it’s present without testing.
During well water evaluations around Lake Norman and the greater Charlotte area, we regularly detect nitrate.
Sometimes the concentration is relatively low. Occasionally, we find results above the EPA’s 10 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen standard.
Testing allows us to answer the questions that actually matter:
What is the nitrate concentration? Who is consuming the water? And what treatment approach makes sense for the household?
How Often Should Well Water Be Tested for Nitrates?
The EPA recommends that private well owners test their water annually for nitrate, along with total coliform bacteria, total dissolved solids, and pH.
Additional testing may be appropriate when conditions surrounding a well change.
A previous test also shouldn’t be assumed to represent the water indefinitely. Groundwater conditions can change, which is why routine testing remains important.
Do Common Well Water Filters Remove Nitrates?
Not necessarily.
A conventional water softener is not designed to remove nitrate. The same is true of several other common treatment technologies.
Homeowners shouldn’t assume nitrate is being removed by:
- Standard water softeners
- Sediment filters
- Carbon filters
- Iron filters
- Acid neutralizers
- UV systems
These systems have important purposes, but nitrate requires treatment specifically designed for nitrate reduction.
How Are Nitrates Removed From Well Water?
For residential well water, two treatment approaches we commonly discuss are:
Reverse Osmosis for Drinking Water
Reverse osmosis (RO) can effectively reduce nitrate in drinking water.
An RO system is typically installed at the kitchen sink and provides treated water for:
- Drinking
- Cooking
- Ice
- Coffee
- Food preparation
At Artisanal Water Solutions, when we detect nitrate in well water, we recommend reverse osmosis for drinking and cooking water.
This provides nitrate reduction at the water people consume without requiring every gallon entering the home to be treated for nitrate.
Whole-House Nitrate Treatment
Nitrate can also be treated throughout the home using a properly designed nitrate-selective ion-exchange system.
Instead of treating only drinking and cooking water, the system treats the water entering the entire home.
At Artisanal Water Solutions, when small children live in the home, we recommend discussing whole-house nitrate treatment as an option.
Whole-house nitrate treatment is considerably more expensive than point-of-use reverse osmosis, so we believe homeowners should understand both approaches before making a decision.
Factors to consider include:
- The nitrate concentration
- Who lives in the home
- Where treated water is desired
- Other water-quality conditions
- Equipment and maintenance requirements
- Cost
For many households, RO provides a practical solution for drinking and cooking water. Other homeowners may prefer the additional coverage provided by whole-house treatment.
Our job is to explain the test results and treatment options so the homeowner can make an informed decision.
Why the Complete Well Water Test Matters
Nitrate may not be the only condition affecting a private well.
During a well water appointment, we may also identify hardness, iron, manganese, low pH, sulfur, bacteria, or other water-quality concerns.
These conditions can affect the overall treatment design.
That’s why we evaluate the complete water profile rather than recommending equipment based on a single test result.
What We See Around Lake Norman
At Artisanal Water Solutions, we test for nitrate during every private well water appointment.
We find nitrate fairly often in wells throughout the areas we serve. Many of those results are below the EPA’s 10 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen drinking-water standard, while occasionally we find concentrations above it.
When nitrate is present, we explain the result and treatment options without assuming that every homeowner needs the most expensive solution.
For many households, that means reverse osmosis for drinking and cooking water.
When small children are in the home, we recommend discussing whole-house nitrate treatment as well.
Test the water. Know the nitrate level. Understand the options. Then make an informed decision.
Nitrates in Well Water: The Bottom Line
Nitrates can be present in private well water without changing its taste, smell, color, or appearance.
The EPA recommends annual nitrate testing for private wells, and its drinking-water standard for nitrate is 10 mg/L measured as nitrate-nitrogen.
At Artisanal Water Solutions, we test nitrate at every private well water appointment. When nitrate is detected, we recommend reverse osmosis for drinking and cooking water. For homes with small children, we also recommend discussing whole-house nitrate treatment.
For private well homeowners throughout Lake Norman, Mooresville, Huntersville, Cornelius, Denver, Charlotte, Concord, and surrounding communities, understanding your nitrate level is an important part of understanding your home’s water quality.
Good treatment starts with knowing what’s actually in your water. Contact Artisanal Water today and get a free water test expert guidance for your well water. Call or text (704) 315-6344 or fill out our contact form
