Nitrate in North Dakota well water
In North Dakota, 7% of 8,604 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.
Test your North Dakota well for nitrate
Certified lab analysis of your own tap water, bottles and prepaid return shipping included. The Essential well panel covers arsenic, uranium, nitrate, lead, copper, manganese, iron, sodium and bacteria; radon and PFAS are add-ons.
Order the Tap Score well water test kit, from $209Already tested? Upload the report
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Systems that remove nitrate
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Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the merchant pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we list or what the data says.
For nitrate
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For nitrate
Aquasana SmartFlow reverse osmosis
under-sink or countertop, about $225
Certified to NSF/ANSI 58 and 53 to reduce arsenic (96%, pentavalent), fluoride (90%), lead (99%), nitrate, nitrite and PFOA/PFOS at the kitchen tap, with a remineralizer.
Rather have it installed and sized for your well? Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company.
Where to get a well tested for nitrate in North Dakota: certified labs, state programs and prices.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (10 mg/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Above EPA limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steele | 159 | 100% | 0.994 | 705 mg/L | |
| Grand Forks | 110 | 93% | 1 | 547 mg/L | |
| Pembina | 112 | 100% | 0.847 | 511 mg/L | |
| Griggs | 150 | 99% | 1 | 526 mg/L | |
| Walsh | 106 | 100% | 1.17 | 294 mg/L | |
| McHenry | 770 | 98% | 0.31 | 130 mg/L | |
| Stutsman | 127 | 97% | 0.61 | 380 mg/L | |
| McIntosh | 185 | 99% | 0.56 | 740 mg/L | |
| Stark | 187 | 85% | 0.2 | 858 mg/L | |
| Ransom | 449 | 70% | 0.23 | 540 mg/L | |
| Eddy | 113 | 68% | 0.03 | 21 mg/L | |
| Williams | 198 | 89% | 0.4 | 120 mg/L | |
| Nelson | 200 | 99% | 1 | 193 mg/L | |
| Wells | 106 | 100% | 0.717 | 113 mg/L | |
| McLean | 366 | 94% | 0.3 | 275 mg/L |
- Saline township, McHenry County66% of 95
- Grilley township, McHenry County33% of 82
- Owego township, Ransom County19% of 161
- East Logan UT, Logan County18% of 61
- Little Deep township, McHenry County18% of 139
- Northwest McIntosh UT, McIntosh County14% of 59
- Southwest McIntosh UT, McIntosh County11% of 54
- East McIntosh UT, McIntosh County11% of 64
- Dickinson North UT, Stark County10% of 48
- Minco township, Benson County10% of 41
- West Stark UT, Stark County9% of 67
- West Grant UT, Grant County8% of 38
- Dayton township, Nelson County7% of 59
- Sheyenne township, Richland County6% of 47
- East McLean UT, McLean County6% of 63
- Sundre township, Ward County6% of 33
- East Grant UT, Grant County6% of 54
- Bear Creek township, Dickey County5% of 366
- South McLean UT, McLean County5% of 78
- Odessa township, Ramsey County5% of 100
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.
Analysis: Nitrate in private wells, decade by decade, from the same public records.