Nitrate and nitrite

Jefferson County Public Water Supply District 6

Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	ND	5	0	ND
2015	0.00350 ppm	4	1	ND - 0.0140 ppm
2016	ND	4	0	ND
2017	0.00275 ppm	4	1	ND - 0.0110 ppm
2018	0.00325 ppm	4	1	ND - 0.0130 ppm
2019	ND	4	0	ND

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm

The health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 10 ppm

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date	Lab ID	Result
2014-02-05	AC17180	ND
2014-02-05	AC17181	ND
2014-02-05	AC17182	ND
2014-02-05	AC17178	ND
2014-02-05	AC17179	ND
2015-09-14	AC57952	ND
2015-09-14	AC57951	0.0140 ppm
2015-09-14	AC57953	ND
2015-09-14	AC57954	ND
2016-08-16	AC82165	ND
2016-08-16	AC82164	ND
2016-08-16	AC82166	ND
2016-08-16	AC82167	ND
2017-08-29	AD03796	ND
2017-08-29	AD03798	ND
2017-08-29	AD03799	ND
2017-08-29	AD03797	0.0110 ppm
2018-08-21	AD30921	0.0130 ppm
2018-08-21	AD30922	ND
2018-08-21	AD30923	ND
2018-08-21	AD30924	ND
2019-10-07	AD53733	ND
2019-10-07	AD53734	ND
2019-10-07	AD53735	ND
2019-10-07	AD53736	ND