Nitrate in Nebraska well water
In Nebraska, 20% of 26,562 tested private well samples exceeded the EPA limit for nitrate (10 mg/L).
Nitrate reaches wells from fertilizer, septic systems and manure. Above the limit it can cause methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome) in infants under six months, and long-term exposure is associated with some cancers. Shallow and dug wells near farmland or dense septic systems are most at risk.
Check your nitrate number
Type the value from your lab report. It is compared to the EPA limit, the same way the full interpretation does it.
Getting it fixed
Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company, or see the treatment guide for what removes nitrate.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (10 mg/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Samples | Detected | Above EPA limit | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boyd | 51 | 96% | 63% | 14.5 | 177 mg/L |
| Merrick | 488 | 90% | 60% | 12.3 | 61.2 mg/L |
| Dixon | 64 | 97% | 44% | 8.29 | 131 mg/L |
| Nance | 1,011 | 97% | 44% | 7.8 | 77.1 mg/L |
| Platte | 1,772 | 91% | 43% | 7.7 | 109 mg/L |
| Pawnee | 103 | 94% | 39% | 6.4 | 233 mg/L |
| Polk | 191 | 97% | 37% | 7.2 | 110 mg/L |
| Otoe | 235 | 92% | 35% | 5.8 | 130 mg/L |
| Richardson | 578 | 91% | 34% | 7.8 | 62.3 mg/L |
| Cedar | 119 | 94% | 34% | 4.92 | 60.2 mg/L |
| Red Willow | 69 | 99% | 33% | 6.2 | 32.4 mg/L |
| Nemaha | 138 | 95% | 33% | 6.34 | 96 mg/L |
| York | 261 | 97% | 33% | 6.72 | 94.5 mg/L |
| Knox | 259 | 88% | 32% | 5.8 | 137 mg/L |
| Phelps | 232 | 99% | 32% | 6.2 | 40 mg/L |
- Midland township, Merrick County85% of 40
- Clarksville township, Merrick County83% of 133
- East Newman township, Nance County83% of 149
- Mead township, Merrick County79% of 34
- Butler township, Platte County78% of 325
- Wood River township, Hall County70% of 57
- Lone Tree township, Merrick County68% of 40
- Prairie Creek township, Nance County66% of 217
- Loup township, Platte County64% of 396
- Alda township, Hall County59% of 49
- South Canada precinct, Polk County58% of 31
- Bismark township, Platte County57% of 70
- Precinct 4, Hamilton County56% of 39
- Precinct 7, Hamilton County55% of 40
- Jackson township, Hall County53% of 74
- Hardy precinct, Nuckolls County53% of 38
- Elim township, Custer County51% of 41
- Precinct 3, Phelps County51% of 45
- Henderson precinct, York County50% of 38
- Webster township, Dodge County47% of 36
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. nitrate counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.