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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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Status: Regulated - EPA has established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Nitrate & nitrite is a chemical that enters water from fertilizer runoff, leaching septic tanks, and erosion of natural deposits. Potential health impacts associated with Nitrate & nitrite include cardiovascular or blood toxicity, kidney toxicity, and reproductive toxicity.

Sources of Nitrate & nitrite:

	Agriculture (pesticides, fertilizer, factory farms)
	Sprawl and Urban Areas (road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste)
	Industry
	Naturally Occurring (naturally present but increased for lands denuded by sprawl, agriculture, or industrial development)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Nitrate & nitrite tests reported by 15,803 public water suppliers in 28 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 96.4 million people in 10,920 communities drank water contaminated with Nitrate & nitrite. In 97 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds.

Exposure Summary

96,426,049 People drinking water contaminated with Nitrate & nitrite 10,920 Communities served water contaminated with Nitrate & nitrite 116,283 People drinking water contaminated with Nitrate & nitrite over health based limits 97 Communities served water with Nitrate & nitrite above health based limits

Table. Nitrate & nitrite Exposure by State

116 thousand Americans in 15 states were served tap water contaminated with Nitrate & nitrite at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Nitrate & nitrite contamination		Water suppliers reporting Nitrate & nitrite above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
California	664	36,729,317	16	54,070
Texas	1,302	13,969,387	32	33,869
Oklahoma	526	2,265,287	10	12,598
Washington	1,257	3,854,647	15	6,151
Nebraska	527	1,379,640	8	4,618
Colorado	649	3,744,823	5	3,247
Iowa	59	259,860	1	1,139
Montana	480	521,071	2	145
Delaware	21	289,143	1	107
Wyoming	184	218,024	1	70
Idaho	594	672,734	2	66
New Mexico	452	1,356,718	1	56
Maine	230	286,465	1	51
Virginia	390	867,940	1	50
North Dakota	191	460,891	1	46
Illinois	769	6,635,620	0	0
Ohio	592	6,431,213	0	0
New Jersey	330	5,680,659	0	0
Alabama	100	2,443,208	0	0
Arkansas	306	2,254,751	0	0
Nevada	211	2,157,720	0	0
Missouri	738	1,696,872	0	0
Oregon	159	1,285,116	0	0
Florida	35	352,222	0	0
Tennessee	15	304,695	0	0
Alaska	67	179,808	0	0
New York	71	117,801	0	0
Arizona	1	10,417	0	0
Total	10,920	96,426,049	97	116,283

Table. The most polluted communities

116,000 Americans in 97 communities were served tap water contaminated with Nitrate & nitrite above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Nitrate & nitrite level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Eola Water Supply Commission Eola, TX	210	4 of 4	30.1 ppm (27.2 to 34.36 ppm)
2	Beneficial Water Pasco, WA	84	3 of 3	25.3 ppm (20.8 to 33 ppm)
3	Grover Beach Water Department Grover Beach, CA	13,067	7 of 7	20.46 ppm (3.7 to 37.6 ppm)
4	City of La Verne Water Department La Verne, CA	34,009	5 of 5	19.54 ppm (3.6 to 27.1 ppm)
5	City of Thrall Thrall, TX	870	1 of 1	18.8 ppm (18.8 to 18.8 ppm)
6	Countryside Sanitary District Harrisonburg, VA	50	3 of 3	18.73 ppm (17 to 20.1 ppm)
7	Rra Lockett Water System Wichita Falls, TX	723	5 of 5	18.32 ppm (8.53 to 23.65 ppm)
8	City of Burkburnett Burkburnett, TX	10,927	4 of 4	18.05 ppm (15.31 to 20.42 ppm)
9	Harrison - Ray - Burbank Water System Pasco, WA	656	4 of 4	17.65 ppm (3.3 to 28.6 ppm)
10	Town of Flaxville Water Flaxville, MT	110	5 of 5	17.44 ppm (2.11 to 23 ppm)

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Health based limits for Nitrate & nitrite

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	10 ppm	The enforceable standard which defines the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to health-based limits (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals, or MCLGs) as feasible using the best available analytical and treatment technologies and taking cost into consideration. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Maximum Contaminant Limit Goal (MCLG)	10 ppm	A non-enforceable health goal that is set at a level at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons occurs and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
California Public Health Goals	10 ppm	Defined by the State of California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) as the level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. For acutely toxic substances, levels are set at which scientific evidence indicates that no known or anticipated adverse effects on health will occur, plus an adequate margin-of safety. PHGs for carcinogens or other substances which can cause chronic disease shall be based solely on health effects without regard to cost impacts and shall be set at levels which OEHHA has determined do not pose any significant risk to health.

Testing Summary for Nitrate & nitrite

Water suppliers report an average of 0.7 Nitrate & nitrite tests per year. 23,948 water suppliers failed to report any Nitrate & nitrite tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Nitrate & nitrite by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Nitrate & nitrite (1998-2003): 15,803 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.7 per year

Nitrate & nitrite Violations

Table. 0.9 percent of all water suppliers violated safe drinking water standards for Nitrate & nitrite between 1998 and 2003

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	873	497
	(0.9% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	552	420
	(0.7% of all suppliers)
Reporting violations (1998-2003)	12	10
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)
Violations of tap water pollution standards (1998-2003)	309	88
	(0.2% of all suppliers)