Nitrate Contamination

Nitrate in Indiana Drinking Water

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

256

Cities Tested

256

Has Violations

100%

% Has Violations

3.1 violations

State Avg

▼ 0% vs national

vs National

294

Health Violations

Analysis

Nitrate in Indiana: what the data shows

Indiana has 256 cities with nitrate-related violations. The EPA MCL for nitrate is 10 mg/L (measured as nitrogen). The state has 256 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.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 10 mg/L EPA MCL

Indiana

100%

256 of 256 cities

← = Exactly at national rate

National avg

100%

7727 of 7727 cities

City Map

Nitrate data across Indiana

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

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by nitrate level in Indiana

Highest Nitrate levels (violations)

All Cities

All Indiana cities ranked by nitrate level

#	City	Level	Violations?	Violations	Grade
1	Peru	56 violations	Yes	69	D
2	Goshen	27 violations	Yes	24	D
3	Bloomingdale	24 violations	Yes	22	D
4	Montezuma	21 violations	Yes	20	C-
5	Cedar Lake	18 violations	Yes	22	F
6	Lafayette	16 violations	Yes	24	F
7	Monticello	16 violations	Yes	24	D
8	Columbus	15 violations	Yes	22	B-
9	Hope	12 violations	Yes	4	A-
10	Poseyville	12 violations	Yes	12	B-
11	Michigan City	11 violations	Yes	12	F
12	Terre Haute	11 violations	Yes	8	F
13	Plymouth	10 violations	Yes	16	D
14	Ossian	10 violations	Yes	1	A-
15	Liberty	9 violations	Yes	15	B
16	Connersville	8 violations	Yes	4	C+
17	Greensburg	7 violations	Yes	29	D
18	Mount Vernon	7 violations	Yes	37	B-
19	Bristol	7 violations	Yes	9	D+
20	Carthage	7 violations	Yes	5	A-
21	Mishawaka	6 violations	Yes	8	C+
22	New Castle	6 violations	Yes	4	B+
23	Syracuse	6 violations	Yes	5	B+
24	Paxton	6 violations	Yes	5	A
25	Pierceton	6 violations	Yes	42	D
26	Winslow	6 violations	Yes	17	C+
27	Reynolds	6 violations	Yes	1	C+
28	Indianapolis	5 violations	Yes	31	C+
29	Fort Wayne	5 violations	Yes	17	D
30	Bloomington	5 violations	Yes	45	D
31	Huntington	5 violations	Yes	16	F
32	Decatur	5 violations	Yes	8	C-
33	Angola	5 violations	Yes	42	F
34	Westville	5 violations	Yes	11	D
35	Fairmount	5 violations	Yes	7	C
36	Rosedale	5 violations	Yes	4	C-
37	Lynnville	5 violations	Yes	15	C+
38	Lanesville	5 violations	Yes	2	C+
39	Sharpsville	5 violations	Yes	2	D+
40	South Bend	4 violations	Yes	7	F
41	Bedford	4 violations	Yes	14	B-
42	Santa Claus	4 violations	Yes	8	B+
43	Churubusco	4 violations	Yes	9	C+
44	Woodburn	4 violations	Yes	2	A-
45	Dana	4 violations	Yes	1	C+
46	Elkhart	3 violations	Yes	9	B
47	Greenfield	3 violations	Yes	3	B-
48	Laporte	3 violations	Yes	3	D+
49	Salem	3 violations	Yes	84	D
50	Greencastle	3 violations	Yes	12	C
51	Huntertown	3 violations	Yes	0	A-
52	Taylorsville	3 violations	Yes	1	A-
53	Georgetown	3 violations	Yes	4	B+
54	Charlestown	3 violations	Yes	2	B+
55	Elwood	3 violations	Yes	3	B+
56	Huntingburg	3 violations	Yes	14	B-
57	Batesville	3 violations	Yes	7	A
58	Garrett	3 violations	Yes	3	B
59	Crane	3 violations	Yes	9	B
60	Ferdinand	3 violations	Yes	4	B
61	Pendleton	3 violations	Yes	1	B+
62	Cicero	3 violations	Yes	11	C
63	Hebron	3 violations	Yes	7	B-
64	Paoli	3 violations	Yes	9	A-
65	Delphi	3 violations	Yes	1	C+
66	Oakland City	3 violations	Yes	6	B
67	Greentown	3 violations	Yes	2	B+
68	Walkerton	3 violations	Yes	0	A-
69	Montpelier	3 violations	Yes	0	A-
70	Cannelton	3 violations	Yes	1	B+
71	New Harmony	3 violations	Yes	2	A-
72	Milford	3 violations	Yes	5	D+
73	Morristown	3 violations	Yes	1	B
74	Holland	3 violations	Yes	8	A-
75	Freelandville	3 violations	Yes	8	C+
76	Cayuga	3 violations	Yes	0	A
77	Cromwell	3 violations	Yes	1	A-
78	Brook	3 violations	Yes	2	B+
79	Markle	3 violations	Yes	0	A
80	Wolcott	3 violations	Yes	0	A-
81	Medora	3 violations	Yes	0	A
82	Lyons	3 violations	Yes	5	C+
83	Oaktown	3 violations	Yes	1	B
84	Patoka	3 violations	Yes	2	B
85	Shipshewana	3 violations	Yes	6	A-
86	Donaldson	3 violations	Yes	0	A-
87	Etna Green	3 violations	Yes	8	B
88	Waveland	3 violations	Yes	2	B+
89	Merrillville	2 violations	Yes	15	B-
90	Evansville	2 violations	Yes	9	A-
91	Anderson	2 violations	Yes	2	B
92	Plainfield	2 violations	Yes	9	B-
93	Valparaiso	2 violations	Yes	3	C-
94	East Chicago	2 violations	Yes	1	B-
95	Dubois	2 violations	Yes	2	A
96	North Vernon	2 violations	Yes	106	D
97	Lawrenceburg	2 violations	Yes	1	B+
98	Austin	2 violations	Yes	27	C+
99	Logansport	2 violations	Yes	11	C
100	Jasper	2 violations	Yes	7	A-
101	Morgantown	2 violations	Yes	9	C+
102	Corydon	2 violations	Yes	0	A
103	Mitchell	2 violations	Yes	31	B-
104	Milan	2 violations	Yes	4	B-
105	Speedway	2 violations	Yes	2	C
106	Columbia City	2 violations	Yes	5	D
107	Ingalls	2 violations	Yes	0	A
108	Nineveh	2 violations	Yes	0	B
109	Clinton	2 violations	Yes	1	B
110	Rensselaer	2 violations	Yes	2	B
111	Gas City	2 violations	Yes	2	B
112	Galena	2 violations	Yes	0	A-
113	Ligonier	2 violations	Yes	1	A-
114	West Terre Haute	2 violations	Yes	3	C+
115	Demotte	2 violations	Yes	3	B
116	Fort Branch	2 violations	Yes	1	B
117	Centerville	2 violations	Yes	3	B+
118	Rockport	2 violations	Yes	1	B+
119	Albion	2 violations	Yes	6	C-
120	New Carlisle	2 violations	Yes	30	C
121	Fremont	2 violations	Yes	4	B
122	Leo	2 violations	Yes	0	B+
123	Long Beach	2 violations	Yes	0	A-
124	Middletown	2 violations	Yes	3	A-
125	Jonesboro	2 violations	Yes	4	B-
126	North Liberty	2 violations	Yes	2	A-
127	Roanoke	2 violations	Yes	1	A-
128	Dale	2 violations	Yes	2	A-
129	Seymour	2 violations	Yes	3	B-
130	Fairview Park	2 violations	Yes	0	A
131	Westport	2 violations	Yes	52	D+
132	Converse	2 violations	Yes	2	B
133	Akron	2 violations	Yes	2	B+
134	Grabill	2 violations	Yes	2	B
135	Clay City	2 violations	Yes	1	B-
136	Walton	2 violations	Yes	1	A-
137	Mentone	2 violations	Yes	0	A-
138	Ashley (Rr Name Ashley-Hudson)	2 violations	Yes	0	A-
139	Francesville	2 violations	Yes	1	B-
140	La Fontaine	2 violations	Yes	2	B
141	Mecca	2 violations	Yes	6	B+
142	Campbellsburg	2 violations	Yes	1	B+
143	St. Mary-Of-The-Woods	2 violations	Yes	1	A
144	Chrisney	2 violations	Yes	8	A-
145	Dublin	2 violations	Yes	0	A-
146	Linden	2 violations	Yes	2	D
147	Boswell	2 violations	Yes	1	B+
148	Atlanta	2 violations	Yes	1	C+
149	Howe	2 violations	Yes	5	B
150	Elnora	2 violations	Yes	0	A-
151	Kingman	2 violations	Yes	39	C
152	Laurel	2 violations	Yes	9	D
153	Staunton	2 violations	Yes	28	B
154	Hillsboro	2 violations	Yes	4	B+
155	Lacrosse	2 violations	Yes	1	C+
156	Gary	1 violations	Yes	2	A
157	Hammond	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
158	Lawrence	1 violations	Yes	4	B
159	Richmond	1 violations	Yes	1	B
160	Schererville	1 violations	Yes	1	C-
161	Martinsville	1 violations	Yes	12	F
162	Brownsburg	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
163	Vincennes	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
164	Newburgh	1 violations	Yes	4	A
165	Washington	1 violations	Yes	5	B
166	Bloomfield	1 violations	Yes	1	B+
167	Aurora	1 violations	Yes	8	C
168	Madison	1 violations	Yes	4	C+
169	Griffith	1 violations	Yes	2	B
170	Jeffersonville	1 violations	Yes	4	B
171	Tell City	1 violations	Yes	5	B-
172	Brownstown	1 violations	Yes	2	B+
173	Brazil	1 violations	Yes	2	A-
174	Patriot	1 violations	Yes	0	B-
175	Lowell	1 violations	Yes	25	B+
176	Borden	1 violations	Yes	23	B+
177	Brookville	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
178	Linton	1 violations	Yes	3	A
179	Bluffton	1 violations	Yes	0	A
180	Yorktown	1 violations	Yes	2	B-
181	Rochester	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
182	North Manchester	1 violations	Yes	11	B+
183	Hartford City	1 violations	Yes	1	B+
184	Edinburg	1 violations	Yes	6	B+
185	Whiting	1 violations	Yes	3	B+
186	Elizabeth	1 violations	Yes	3	B
187	Berne	1 violations	Yes	3	A
188	New Washington	1 violations	Yes	1	B-
189	Pittsboro	1 violations	Yes	2	B+
190	Richland City	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
191	Knox	1 violations	Yes	2	A
192	Hardinsburg	1 violations	Yes	7	A-
193	Shoals	1 violations	Yes	0	B
194	Middlebury	1 violations	Yes	8	B+
195	Culver	1 violations	Yes	2	B+
196	Upland	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
197	West Baden Springs (Corporate	1 violations	Yes	3	A
198	Carlisle	1 violations	Yes	2	B+
199	Loogootee	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
200	Butler	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
201	Shelburn	1 violations	Yes	2	B
202	Winamac	1 violations	Yes	0	A
203	Albany	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
204	Owensville	1 violations	Yes	1	A
205	New Goshen	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
206	Wakarusa	1 violations	Yes	2	A-
207	Cambridge City	1 violations	Yes	5	B+
208	Vevay	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
209	Crothersville	1 violations	Yes	1	B
210	Williamsport	1 violations	Yes	3	C-
211	Frankton	1 violations	Yes	1	B+
212	North Judson	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
213	Kentland	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
214	Monon	1 violations	Yes	3	D+
215	New Palestine	1 violations	Yes	5	A-
216	Osgood	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
217	Warren	1 violations	Yes	4	B+
218	Argos	1 violations	Yes	1	B
219	Rossville	1 violations	Yes	1	B+
220	Eaton	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
221	Daleville	1 violations	Yes	8	B+
222	Monroeville	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
223	Geneva	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
224	Redkey	1 violations	Yes	2	B+
225	Farmland	1 violations	Yes	3	B-
226	Otterbein	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
227	Galveston	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
228	Troy	1 violations	Yes	1	B+
229	Oxford	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
230	Ladoga	1 violations	Yes	0	B+
231	Topeka	1 violations	Yes	0	A
232	Lynn	1 violations	Yes	0	B-
233	St. Paul	1 violations	Yes	4	D+
234	Wolcottville	1 violations	Yes	1	B
235	Silver Lake	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
236	Roachdale	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
237	Swayzee	1 violations	Yes	0	C-
238	Spiceland	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
239	Shirley	1 violations	Yes	2	B+
240	Milroy	1 violations	Yes	1	B+
241	English	1 violations	Yes	0	B
242	Van Buren	1 violations	Yes	8	B
243	Gosport	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
244	Monroe City	1 violations	Yes	7	B+
245	Waldron	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
246	Kirklin	1 violations	Yes	9	B
247	Grandview (Grand View)	1 violations	Yes	3	B+
248	Lakeville	1 violations	Yes	1	A-
249	Hillsdale	1 violations	Yes	2	B
250	Windfall	1 violations	Yes	1	B-
251	Pennville	1 violations	Yes	1	A
252	Kewanna	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
253	Medaryville	1 violations	Yes	2	C
254	Hudson	1 violations	Yes	3	D+
255	Orland	1 violations	Yes	0	A-
256	Advance	1 violations	Yes	0	A-

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about nitrate in Indiana

Is nitrate in Indiana tap water dangerous?

Yes — 256 cities in Indiana 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 Indiana 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.

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