Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Nitrite

South Shores

Nitrite, closely related to the fertilizer chemical nitrate, comes from urban runoff and from fertilizer applied to agricultural lands to pollute drinking water. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Excessive nitrite in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer.

 

13

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND20ND
2015ND20ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND30ND
2018ND20ND
2019ND20ND

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 1 ppm

The legal limit for nitrite, established in 1991, was based on the rate of conversion of ingested nitrate into nitrite in adults. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to nitrite exposure.

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-11-12S588914ND
2014-11-12S588915ND
2015-04-06S614656ND
2015-04-06S614657ND
2016-10-06S693867ND
2016-12-06S694621ND
2017-01-10S694942ND
2017-04-03S723598ND
2017-12-21S769197ND
2018-02-05S782190ND
2018-09-17S808630ND
2019-01-15S860850ND
2019-01-15S860851ND