WaterVerge
Nitrate Contamination

Nitrate in Georgia Drinking Water

Ranked by nitrate violation count · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

226
Cities Tested
226
Has Violations
100%
% Has Violations
8.1 violations
State Avg
▼ 0% vs national
vs National
303
Health Violations

Nitrate in Georgia: what the data shows

Georgia has 226 cities with nitrate-related violations. The EPA MCL for nitrate is 10 mg/L (measured as nitrogen). The state has 226 cities with at least one nitrate violation. Nitrate is the most common groundwater contaminant in the United States. It enters water supplies primarily through agricultural fertilizer runoff, septic system leaching, and animal feedlot operations. Rural and agricultural communities face the highest risk. The primary acute health concern is methemoglobinemia ("blue baby syndrome") in infants under six months. Emerging research also links chronic nitrate exposure to thyroid disease, certain cancers, and adverse birth outcomes. Reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and distillation can remove nitrate from drinking water — standard carbon filters do not.

Cities exceeding 10 mg/L EPA MCL

Georgia
100%
226 of 226 cities
= Exactly at national rate
National avg
100%
8001 of 8001 cities

Nitrate data across Georgia

Each dot is a city with nitrate violation data. Cities with at least one nitrate-related violation are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

All Georgia cities ranked by nitrate level

# City Level Level Violations? Violations Grade
1 Savannah 147 violations
Yes 111
F
2 Eatonton 116 violations
Yes 121
F
3 Americus 103 violations
Yes 35
F
4 Twin City 78 violations
Yes 18
D
5 Statesboro 72 violations
Yes 50
F
6 Valdosta 61 violations
Yes 78
F
7 Roswell 53 violations
Yes 10
F
8 Douglas 45 violations
Yes 14
F
9 Blairsville 33 violations
Yes 11
F
10 Midway 33 violations
Yes 47
D
11 Athens 32 violations
Yes 52
F
12 Watkinsville 31 violations
Yes 66
F
13 Cordele 30 violations
Yes 13
D
14 Hinesville 29 violations
Yes 24
D
15 Bainbridge 29 violations
Yes 17
D+
16 Brunswick 25 violations
Yes 23
F
17 Atlanta 23 violations
Yes 21
F
18 Albany 20 violations
Yes 11
F
19 Cairo 20 violations
Yes 23
D
20 Cumming 19 violations
Yes 30
F
21 Griffin 19 violations
Yes 9
F
22 Lake Park 19 violations
Yes 176
F
23 Jesup 19 violations
Yes 23
F
24 Ludowici 19 violations
Yes 26
D
25 Thomasville 18 violations
Yes 39
D
26 Hephzibah 18 violations
Yes 11
F
27 Blakely 17 violations
Yes 7
C-
28 Jackson 13 violations
Yes 18
D
29 Vidalia 13 violations
Yes 48
D
30 Pooler 12 violations
Yes 9
D+
31 Talbotton 12 violations
Yes 24
D
32 Gainesville 11 violations
Yes 3
C+
33 Leesburg 11 violations
Yes 7
C-
34 Cleveland 11 violations
Yes 15
F
35 Conyers 10 violations
Yes 14
D+
36 Moultrie 10 violations
Yes 5
C-
37 Woodbine 10 violations
Yes 2
B-
38 Dublin 9 violations
Yes 3
F
39 Millen 9 violations
Yes 2
A-
40 Colquitt 9 violations
Yes 3
A-
41 Hagan 9 violations
Yes 1
C
42 Rincon 8 violations
Yes 14
F
43 Richmond Hill 8 violations
Yes 4
B-
44 Darien 8 violations
Yes 3
C-
45 Pine Mountain 8 violations
Yes 2
F
46 Metter 8 violations
Yes 5
B
47 Pelham 8 violations
Yes 10
C-
48 Woodland 8 violations
Yes 6
B+
49 Warner Robins 7 violations
Yes 7
B-
50 Monroe 7 violations
Yes 4
B
51 Hartwell 7 violations
Yes 53
F
52 Waynesboro 7 violations
Yes 1
B-
53 Lumpkin 7 violations
Yes 6
F
54 Claxton 7 violations
Yes 6
D
55 Townsend 7 violations
Yes 12
F
56 Newington 7 violations
Yes 2
F
57 Shellman 7 violations
Yes 4
B
58 Alpharetta 6 violations
Yes 4
F
59 Forsyth 6 violations
Yes 16
C
60 Dahlonega 6 violations
Yes 10
F
61 Elberton 6 violations
Yes 1
D+
62 Cornelia 6 violations
Yes 2
B
63 Nicholson 6 violations
Yes 3
B
64 Thunderbolt 6 violations
Yes 4
C+
65 Norman Park 6 violations
Yes 0
C
66 Brooks 6 violations
Yes 3
B-
67 Augusta 5 violations
Yes 31
F
68 Saint Simons Island 5 violations
Yes 7
B-
69 Grovetown 5 violations
Yes 6
B-
70 Ellijay 5 violations
Yes 9
C+
71 Auburn 5 violations
Yes 11
F
72 Senoia 5 violations
Yes 5
C+
73 Hawkinsville 5 violations
Yes 8
A-
74 Blackshear 5 violations
Yes 4
B-
75 Walthourville 5 violations
Yes 1
D
76 Omega 5 violations
Yes 5
B+
77 Reynolds 5 violations
Yes 9
C-
78 Lake City 5 violations
Yes 8
A-
79 Fayetteville 4 violations
Yes 19
C
80 Port Wentworth 4 violations
Yes 6
D+
81 Jefferson 4 violations
Yes 8
C+
82 Braselton 4 violations
Yes 1
B
83 Springfield 4 violations
Yes 3
F
84 Young Harris 4 violations
Yes 0
A
85 Swainsboro 4 violations
Yes 4
C-
86 Garden City 4 violations
Yes 4
B+
87 Blue Ridge 4 violations
Yes 15
D
88 Hampton 4 violations
Yes 2
B-
89 Carnesville 4 violations
Yes 47
D
90 Quitman 4 violations
Yes 15
B-
91 Ashburn 4 violations
Yes 0
A-
92 Lyons 4 violations
Yes 32
D
93 Baldwin 4 violations
Yes 3
A-
94 Alto 4 violations
Yes 13
B+
95 Martin 4 violations
Yes 6
B
96 Morgan 4 violations
Yes 1
A-
97 Richland 4 violations
Yes 5
B+
98 Meigs 4 violations
Yes 2
A-
99 Rutledge 4 violations
Yes 0
B-
100 Sycamore 4 violations
Yes 0
A-
101 Midville 4 violations
Yes 1
A-
102 Ellabell 4 violations
Yes 0
B+
103 Cadwell 4 violations
Yes 1
A
104 Shiloh 4 violations
Yes 1
B+
105 Carrollton 3 violations
Yes 14
C
106 Tifton 3 violations
Yes 6
C-
107 Clayton 3 violations
Yes 1
A-
108 Barnesville 3 violations
Yes 10
C
109 Madison 3 violations
Yes 5
B
110 Danielsville 3 violations
Yes 9
D+
111 Roberta 3 violations
Yes 7
B+
112 Reidsville 3 violations
Yes 4
C-
113 Wrightsville 3 violations
Yes 5
A-
114 Royston 3 violations
Yes 0
B+
115 Georgetown 3 violations
Yes 2
B
116 Wadley 3 violations
Yes 1
B
117 Jeffersonville 3 violations
Yes 1
C+
118 Pearson 3 violations
Yes 1
B
119 Dillard 3 violations
Yes 0
B+
120 Marshallville 3 violations
Yes 12
B-
121 Crawford 3 violations
Yes 44
D
122 Boston 3 violations
Yes 0
A-
123 Lenox 3 violations
Yes 2
A
124 Sardis 3 violations
Yes 5
A-
125 Canon 3 violations
Yes 0
B-
126 Uvalda 3 violations
Yes 1
D
127 White 3 violations
Yes 0
B+
128 Norcross 3 violations
Yes 0
C
129 Pitts 3 violations
Yes 0
A-
130 Crawfordville 3 violations
Yes 10
C+
131 Toomsboro 3 violations
Yes 3
A
132 Allenhurst 3 violations
Yes 6
B-
133 Marietta 2 violations
Yes 5
B+
134 Covington 2 violations
Yes 20
F
135 Jasper 2 violations
Yes 5
B-
136 Dawsonville 2 violations
Yes 11
B-
137 Gray 2 violations
Yes 1
D+
138 Demorest 2 violations
Yes 1
B+
139 Fitzgerald 2 violations
Yes 27
A-
140 Monticello 2 violations
Yes 25
D+
141 Buena Vista 2 violations
Yes 17
F
142 Sylvester 2 violations
Yes 5
A-
143 Hoschton 2 violations
Yes 3
B+
144 Pembroke 2 violations
Yes 0
C-
145 Adel 2 violations
Yes 0
A
146 Temple 2 violations
Yes 3
B
147 Dawson 2 violations
Yes 3
A-
148 Nashville 2 violations
Yes 3
A
149 Ocilla 2 violations
Yes 4
C-
150 Cuthbert 2 violations
Yes 5
B
151 Abbeville 2 violations
Yes 2
B+
152 Donalsonville 2 violations
Yes 1
A-
153 Luthersville 2 violations
Yes 0
B-
154 Tennille 2 violations
Yes 3
B+
155 Davisboro 2 violations
Yes 1
B+
156 Chester 2 violations
Yes 1
A-
157 Brooklet 2 violations
Yes 1
B+
158 Broxton 2 violations
Yes 1
B+
159 Rochelle 2 violations
Yes 1
B
160 Sautee 2 violations
Yes 15
B+
161 Ray City 2 violations
Yes 1
A-
162 Enigma 2 violations
Yes 1
B-
163 Ivey 2 violations
Yes 2
B+
164 Arlington 2 violations
Yes 6
B
165 Homeland 2 violations
Yes 13
A-
166 Adrian 2 violations
Yes 1
B
167 Ochlocknee 2 violations
Yes 1
B+
168 Patterson 2 violations
Yes 1
A-
169 Smithville 2 violations
Yes 1
B+
170 Waverly Hall 2 violations
Yes 0
D+
171 Harrison 2 violations
Yes 0
B+
172 Berlin 2 violations
Yes 0
A-
173 Ailey 2 violations
Yes 25
C+
174 Cobbtown 2 violations
Yes 4
A-
175 Bronwood 2 violations
Yes 1
B+
176 Dallas 1 violations
Yes 5
B
177 Dalton 1 violations
Yes 0
B
178 Kathleen 1 violations
Yes 0
A-
179 Cartersville 1 violations
Yes 6
B
180 Rome 1 violations
Yes 3
B
181 Cedartown 1 violations
Yes 4
B+
182 Waycross 1 violations
Yes 7
C+
183 Cataula 1 violations
Yes 2
B
184 St. Marys 1 violations
Yes 8
B-
185 La Fayette 1 violations
Yes 1
B
186 Mcdonough 1 violations
Yes 1
B+
187 Villa Rica 1 violations
Yes 1
B-
188 Summerville 1 violations
Yes 3
A-
189 Cochran 1 violations
Yes 1
B-
190 Franklin 1 violations
Yes 11
B-
191 Camilla 1 violations
Yes 3
B-
192 Homer 1 violations
Yes 10
C+
193 Adairsville 1 violations
Yes 2
A
194 Washington 1 violations
Yes 11
B+
195 Greensboro 1 violations
Yes 46
C-
196 Hazlehurst 1 violations
Yes 7
C+
197 Glennville 1 violations
Yes 6
B+
198 Louisville 1 violations
Yes 2
B+
199 Butler 1 violations
Yes 24
B-
200 Sparta 1 violations
Yes 4
D
201 Alma 1 violations
Yes 1
B+
202 Statham 1 violations
Yes 3
B-
203 Unadilla 1 violations
Yes 4
A-
204 Lexington 1 violations
Yes 33
D
205 Cusseta 1 violations
Yes 0
B+
206 Warrenton 1 violations
Yes 53
D
207 Pinehurst 1 violations
Yes 0
A-
208 Irwinton 1 violations
Yes 0
B+
209 Comer 1 violations
Yes 7
B+
210 Warm Springs 1 violations
Yes 34
B
211 Blythe 1 violations
Yes 0
A-
212 Bowman 1 violations
Yes 0
B
213 Baconton 1 violations
Yes 2
B+
214 Screven 1 violations
Yes 2
A-
215 Menlo 1 violations
Yes 1
B
216 Plains 1 violations
Yes 2
A-
217 Preston 1 violations
Yes 0
B+
218 Portal 1 violations
Yes 1
B-
219 Pavo 1 violations
Yes 0
B+
220 Stillmore 1 violations
Yes 2
C
221 Milan 1 violations
Yes 0
B
222 Concord 1 violations
Yes 0
A-
223 Alapaha 1 violations
Yes 3
C+
224 Coolidge 1 violations
Yes 0
A-
225 Barwick 1 violations
Yes 1
A
226 Yatesville 1 violations
Yes 0
B

Frequently asked questions about nitrate in Georgia

Is nitrate in Georgia tap water dangerous?

Yes — 226 cities in Georgia have nitrate-related violations. The EPA MCL is 10 mg/L. Nitrate is especially dangerous for infants under six months, where it can cause methemoglobinemia ("blue baby syndrome"). Adults face lower acute risk, but chronic exposure is linked to thyroid disease and certain cancers.

How can I remove nitrate from my drinking water?

Reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and distillation are effective at removing nitrate. Standard carbon filters (including most pitcher and faucet-mount filters) do NOT remove nitrate. If you rely on a private well in an agricultural area, have your water tested annually for nitrate.

What causes high nitrate levels in Georgia water?

Nitrate contamination comes primarily from agricultural fertilizer runoff, septic system leaching, and animal feedlot operations. Rural communities near intensive farming are most at risk. Shallow wells are particularly vulnerable. Heavy rainfall can spike nitrate levels as it washes fertilizer into groundwater and surface water supplies.