Nitrate and nitrite

New York American Water - Sea Cliff

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	3.84 ppm	9	9	0.0800 ppm - 4.74 ppm
2015	3.41 ppm	8	8	0.0700 ppm - 5.03 ppm
2016	3.87 ppm	13	13	0.0700 ppm - 5.39 ppm
2017	4.23 ppm	13	13	0.350 ppm - 4.90 ppm
2018	3.55 ppm	14	13	ND - 5.20 ppm
2019	4.01 ppm	13	12	ND - 5.50 ppm

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
2014-03-06	1403383-001-POCS	4.10 ppm
2014-04-02	04187-001-POCS	3.91 ppm
2014-04-02	1404187-001-POCS	3.91 ppm
2014-06-10	1406727-001-PRI	4.48 ppm
2014-06-10	1406727-003-PRI	0.0800 ppm
2014-07-08	1407443-001-POCS	4.32 ppm
2014-08-21	1408F55-001	4.54 ppm
2014-10-07	1410466-001-POCS	4.51 ppm
2014-11-12	1411766-001-POCS	4.74 ppm
2015-01-05	1501102-001-POCS	4.24 ppm
2015-04-08	1504541-001-POCS	5.03 ppm
2015-05-07	1505537-001-PRI	0.0700 ppm
2015-06-15	1506B92-001-PRI	4.69 ppm
2015-06-15	1506B92-003-PRI	0.1000 ppm
2015-07-08	1507488-001	4.30 ppm
2015-08-05	1508310-001 POCS	4.62 ppm
2015-09-21	1509F48-001	4.24 ppm
2016-01-26	1601G80-001	4.62 ppm
2016-03-01	1603105-001	4.48 ppm
2016-04-06	1604546-001	4.50 ppm
2016-05-03	1605198-001	4.61 ppm
2016-06-08	1606789-003	3.81 ppm
2016-06-21	1606L00-001 PRI	1.06 ppm
2016-06-21	1606L00-002 PRI	0.0700 ppm
2016-07-06	1607433-003	5.39 ppm
2016-08-02	1608166-005	4.51 ppm
2016-09-07	1609450-003	4.37 ppm
2016-10-06	701359003	4.00 ppm
2016-11-02	703523001	4.50 ppm
2016-12-06	706115001	4.40 ppm
2017-01-04	708295001	4.90 ppm
2017-02-07	7010806001	4.80 ppm
2017-03-07	7012749001	4.50 ppm
2017-04-04	7014847001	4.50 ppm
2017-04-24	7016671001-PRI	0.350 ppm
2017-05-02	7017429001	4.70 ppm
2017-06-06	7020461001	4.60 ppm
2017-07-05	7023139001	4.40 ppm
2017-08-01	7025787002	4.60 ppm
2017-09-05	7028919001-PRI	4.60 ppm
2017-10-02	7031587001	4.50 ppm
2017-11-07	7035028001	4.10 ppm
2017-12-05	7037238001	4.50 ppm
2018-01-09	7039910001	5.20 ppm
2018-02-08	7042474001	4.10 ppm
2018-03-06	7044573001	3.50 ppm
2018-04-03	7047080001	4.00 ppm
2018-05-01	7050134001	4.10 ppm
2018-06-05	7053754001	ND
2018-07-03	7057077003	4.80 ppm
2018-08-02	7060231003	3.60 ppm
2018-09-04	7063575001	3.90 ppm
2018-10-02	7066538001	4.30 ppm
2018-11-28	7072200001	3.70 ppm
2018-12-19	7074419001	4.40 ppm
2018-12-26	7074879001-PRI	4.10 ppm
2018-12-26	7074879002-PRI	0.0680 ppm
2019-01-15	7076606001	3.50 ppm
2019-02-05	7078364002	4.20 ppm
2019-03-19	7082788001	5.50 ppm
2019-04-02	7084234001	5.00 ppm
2019-05-14	7089462001	4.20 ppm
2019-06-03	7091767001	3.90 ppm
2019-07-09	7096833001	4.10 ppm
2019-08-05	7099950001	4.30 ppm
2019-09-03	70103523001	4.10 ppm
2019-09-24	70106031001-PRI	4.40 ppm
2019-09-24	70106031002-PRI	ND
2019-10-23	70109466001	4.00 ppm
2019-11-25	70113095001	4.90 ppm