Private well answer guide

Nitrate 10 mg/L in Well Water: Is It Safe?

A nitrate result of 10 mg/L as nitrogen is at the EPA drinking water limit. For infants and pregnancy, use extra caution, confirm the unit, and retest with a certified lab.

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What to test

Nitrate as nitrogen
Nitrite
Total coliform
E. coli

What to do next

Confirm whether the lab reports nitrate as nitrogen or nitrate as nitrate.
Use another safe water source for infant formula if the result is at or above the limit.
Retest seasonally if the well is near fertilizer, septic systems, livestock, or shallow groundwater.
Consider certified point-of-use treatment if nitrate stays near the limit.

Common questions

Is nitrate exactly 10 mg/L a pass or fail?

It is at the limit, so it should be taken seriously, especially for babies and pregnant people.

Does a carbon filter remove nitrate?

Typical carbon filters do not reliably remove nitrate. Reverse osmosis, distillation, or anion exchange are more common options.

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Keep your well history

Interpret once on the web. Track forever in the app.

Save test history, set annual reminders, compare results over time, and create a shareable report for your family or water professional.

Save this result in the iOS app