Nitrate in your municipal tap water?

[missileman]

I have suggested to other that when cycling a tank that the cycle is near an end when they start seeing nitrate in their water. It was pointed out that some tap water contains nitrate so this may not be a good indication.
It never occured to me because mine doesn't, not that I can measure anyway.
So I started thinking why do some municipal water supplies have nitrate in it and some don't?
So I am starting this poll to see if local polulation might be a factor.
This poll is for municipal water supplies but if you have another water source feel free to comment.

 

[meegosh]

This is an interesting poll, I'm quite interested in seeing the results.

I live in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA and I have 10ppm nitrate right from the tap.

 

[nanoluvr]

I live in a private community with it's own water treatment plant, but...I don't know what the content of nitrate is...I don't use the water for anything other then bathing, and washing clothes, lol.

 

[SWerner13]

I live right outside Tampa FL and my nitrates are a constant 10ppm.... Coincidence? I Think Not!!!! Government is trying to get us!!!

 

[melosu58]

I work for a water municipality and I know they add nitrates to the water in my area.

 

[CaptainAhab]

South Jersey just outside Philly. Nitrates 1.29ppm per latest CCR.
http://www.deptfordmua.com/html/water_quality.html

I always found it interesting that babies sometimes have a certain type bacteria that lives in their digestive system during the first few months of their life making them susceptible to acute nitrate poisoning and blue baby syndrome. The bacteria convert nitrate into toxic nitrite.

Go figure. The world is truly a mysterious place.

 

[missileman]

I work for a water municipality and I know they add nitrates to the water in my area.

That is curious. Do you know the reason why?
Perhaps it may inhibit something worse?

 

[meegosh]

I was wondering this myself so I tried searching on google and came up empty handed. I see lots of things pointing to why it is bad for humans and animals. The only positive thing I saw about excess nitrates is that it is good for crops, duh!

melosu if you know the answer I would be interested in hearing it.

 

[cwt]

Voted 'other'. Generally the City of Columbus water is low or no nitrates, however at certain times of year, there can be a lot of agricultural runoff, and since our water comes from surface sources, we get some of that runoff, and the nitrates go up.

 

[darkmule27]

I live in a rural area and we have zero nitrates from our well water. Frankly, I get spoiled at home because I don't have to use any conditioner for the water. I come back to school in a city and the water is so nasty out here...no clue about the nitrates, but I'm sure there's some.

 

[jim692]

I live in a suburb of Philadelphia. Our public water system draws from 8 wells in the area. Our water is not a good as Philadelphia's is generally. They draw from 2 rivers and have a larger treatment and distribution network. Still both are well above the standard EPA guidelines.
Here is a link from the PWD it's interesting to those who don't know why water is treated, or how. http://www.phila.gov/water/pdfs/WQR_2007-f.pdf
http://www.phila.gov/water/Fact_Sheets.html

 

[cwt]

Voted 'other'. Generally the City of Columbus water is low or no nitrates, however at certain times of year, there can be a lot of agricultural runoff, and since our water comes from surface sources, we get some of that runoff, and the nitrates go up.

Found my City Water Report... recorded nitrate levels for the latest year were 0.5 to 5 ppm. Nothing to get excited over, I guess.

 

[melosu58]

I havent forgot ya`ll I `m researching what that compound is. I know it`s added to raise the PH in the water because after it goes through hundreds of miles of underground pipe the ph can get as low as 4 or 5.

 

[Copepod]

I live in a little town about 20 miles South of Cincinnati....we get our water from the Ohio River...suppossedly, our water supplier was just awarded a platinum award for utility excellence...1 out of 11 others in the nation...they are a rip-off though for sure...nitrates are around .5 and sometimes the smell of chlorine is enough to put my dogs off from drinking out of their bucket for a while.

 

[Dr_Doom2]

I just tested mine and I have 5ppm nitrates from the spigot. I'm in a somewhat small city in WV. I guess it looks like it's better than some at least!!

 

[timwag2001]

you didnt mention well water in your poll. my well water is over 40 ppm.

 

[missileman]

40ppm, you live near farm land right? Fertilizer runoff?
The reason I didn't mention well water is because there are too many variables and the thought was to see if poplulation has an effect on nitrate in municipal water supply.
So far it would seem to. Large population areas tend to have nitrate in the water more than small populations. At least that is the results so far.
PS: I lived on well water most of my life, very full of iron and who knows what else. I can say, being on a municipal supply now, I do not miss the rust stains and low water pressure.

 

[musicman]

I am from a large Kansas town and we have 5ppm NO3.

 

[JasonC]

Technically dead between washington, DC and Baltimore, MD... major suburban/urban area. We get our water from Baltimore City, and it definitely has Nitrates in it.

 

[jim692]

Missileman,
Maybe you should do a poll just for well water to see if there is a change in the results?