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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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NATIONAL SUMMARY

Quality Varies Across the U.S.

CONTAMINANTS DATABASE

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

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

Sources of 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 Nitrite tests reported by 21,308 public water suppliers in 40 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 33.5 million people in 3,181 communities drank water contaminated with Nitrite. In 87 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds.

Exposure Summary

33,468,797 People drinking water contaminated with Nitrite 3,181 Communities served water contaminated with Nitrite 707,975 People drinking water contaminated with Nitrite over health based limits 87 Communities served water with Nitrite above health based limits

Table. Nitrite Exposure by State

708 thousand Americans in 22 states were served tap water contaminated with Nitrite at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Nitrite contamination		Water suppliers reporting Nitrite above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Utah	262	3,117,544	28	586,839
California	114	3,799,382	1	45,205
Iowa	63	332,857	12	15,926
Kentucky	77	947,346	2	14,019
New Jersey	34	1,627,955	1	12,600
Indiana	126	1,189,803	6	10,886
Illinois	159	657,257	10	6,113
Washington	50	162,921	5	3,531
Minnesota	44	177,993	2	2,142
Idaho	32	61,641	1	1,611
New Hampshire	15	27,060	1	1,300
South Dakota	13	12,747	2	1,249
Florida	307	4,637,816	3	1,230
Pennsylvania	262	420,028	2	1,146
Arizona	32	1,485,672	1	1,017
New York	25	68,650	2	910
North Carolina	90	354,946	1	775
Ohio	18	186,982	2	773
Colorado	47	430,970	2	260
Texas	228	5,708,988	1	255
Michigan	707	1,815,229	1	113
Nevada	17	1,363,920	1	75
Massachusetts	138	1,827,700	0	0
Virginia	2	1,590,000	0	0
Wisconsin	215	969,221	0	0
Wyoming	27	109,238	0	0
New Mexico	8	106,593	0	0
Alabama	17	106,445	0	0
Maine	27	71,635	0	0
South Carolina	4	71,329	0	0
Rhode Island	1	19,000	0	0
Alaska	3	2,453	0	0
Montana	8	2,424	0	0
Delaware	2	2,165	0	0
Nebraska	2	1,655	0	0
Oregon	2	670	0	0
Oklahoma	3	562	0	0
Total	3,181	33,468,797	87	707,975

Table. The most polluted communities

708,000 Americans in 87 communities were served tap water contaminated with Nitrite above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Nitrite level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	PA American Merlin Hills Reading, PA	600	1 of 1	6.7 ppm (6.7 to 6.7 ppm)
2	West Otter Lake Estates Fort Wayne, IN	73	1 of 1	5 ppm (5 to 5 ppm)
3	Robins Nest Cedar Lake, IN	270	1 of 1	5 ppm (5 to 5 ppm)
4	Greene Co. - Southwest Reg Public Water Xenia, OH	558	1 of 1	4.6 ppm (4.6 to 4.6 ppm)
5	Cannelton Utilities Cannelton, IN	2,280	1 of 1	4.46 ppm (4.46 to 4.46 ppm)
6	Vevay Water Department Vevay, IN	1,735	1 of 1	4.29 ppm (4.29 to 4.29 ppm)
7	Mountain Green Wtr Assn Mtn Green, UT	80	1 of 1	3.53 ppm (3.53 to 3.53 ppm)
8	Wilkinson Water Company Morgan, UT	260	4 of 4	3.31 ppm (0.6 to 7.75 ppm)
9	City of Glenns Ferry Water Glenns Ferry, ID	1,611	1 of 2	3.01 ppm (0 to 6.02 ppm)
10	Golden West Mobile Manor Vancouver, WA	300	1 of 2	2.9 ppm (0 to 5.8 ppm)

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Health based limits for Nitrite

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	1 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)	1 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	1 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.
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure	1 ppm	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure	1 ppm	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure. The Ten-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Testing Summary for Nitrite

Water suppliers report an average of 0.6 Nitrite tests per year. 18,443 water suppliers failed to report any Nitrite tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Nitrite by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Nitrite (1998-2003): 21,308 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.6 per year

Nitrite Violations

Table. 1.0 percent of all water suppliers violated safe drinking water standards for Nitrite between 1998 and 2003

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	877	590
	(1.0% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	856	578
	(1.0% of all suppliers)
Reporting violations (1998-2003)	5	5
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)
Violations of tap water pollution standards (1998-2003)	16	15
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)