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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate and nitrite

Alameda County Water District

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

 

96

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

30

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND150ND
2015ND170ND
20160.267 ppm167ND - 0.980 ppm
20170.308 ppm168ND - 0.910 ppm
20180.380 ppm168ND - 1.16 ppm
20190.309 ppm167ND - 1.49 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
2014-03-045401-038-0925ND
2014-03-045401-053-0955ND
2014-03-045401-041-0930ND
2014-03-045401-040-0845ND
2014-04-295401-053-1025ND
2014-04-295401-038-1005ND
2014-04-295401-041-1000ND
2014-07-215401-041-0955ND
2014-07-215401-038-0955ND
2014-07-225401-053-0905ND
2014-07-225401-040-0925ND
2014-10-145401-053-1145ND
2014-10-145401-038-1000ND
2014-10-145401-040-0900ND
2014-10-145401-041-1025ND
2015-01-275401-038-0955ND
2015-01-275401-053-1047ND
2015-01-275401-041-0945ND
2015-01-275401-040-1015ND
2015-04-215401-038-0945ND
2015-04-215401-040-0910ND
2015-04-215401-053-1010ND
2015-04-215401-041-0935ND
2015-06-095401-015-1120ND
2015-07-065401-038-1000ND
2015-07-065401-041-0921ND
2015-07-065401-040-1105ND
2015-07-215401-053-0905ND
2015-10-205401-041-1025ND
2015-10-205401-038-1035ND
2015-10-205401-053-1115ND
2015-10-205401-040-0940ND
2016-01-195401-040-10350.980 ppm
2016-01-195401-038-0855ND
2016-01-195401-041-0910ND
2016-01-195401-053-09350.500 ppm
2016-04-265401-040-09450.618 ppm
2016-04-265401-038-1035ND
2016-04-265401-041-1025ND
2016-05-105401-053-09150.570 ppm
2016-07-115401-041-0820ND
2016-07-115401-038-0850ND
2016-07-195401-040-0825ND
2016-07-195401-053-09550.590 ppm
2016-10-045401-053-09250.590 ppm
2016-10-045401-041-0855ND
2016-10-045401-040-0825ND
2016-10-045401-038-09050.420 ppm
2017-01-175401-053-10250.582 ppm
2017-01-175401-041-0925ND
2017-01-175401-040-09370.910 ppm
2017-01-175401-038-09250.430 ppm
2017-04-185401-041-0910ND
2017-04-185401-053-09480.603 ppm
2017-04-185401-038-0925ND
2017-04-185401-040-0820ND
2017-07-175401-038-10300.505 ppm
2017-07-175401-041-1005ND
2017-07-255401-053-10320.685 ppm
2017-07-255401-040-0915ND
2017-10-035401-053-09580.710 ppm
2017-10-035401-041-0925ND
2017-10-035401-040-0857ND
2017-10-035401-038-09150.503 ppm
2018-01-165401-053-10500.629 ppm
2018-01-165401-040-09201.16 ppm
2018-01-165401-038-1110ND
2018-01-165401-041-1025ND
2018-04-175401-040-08350.565 ppm
2018-04-175401-053-10030.934 ppm
2018-04-175401-038-09260.659 ppm
2018-04-175401-041-0939ND
2018-07-115401-041-0755ND
2018-07-115401-038-07260.850 ppm
2018-07-175401-040-0850ND
2018-07-175401-053-08450.650 ppm
2018-10-165401-053-10350.640 ppm
2018-10-165401-040-0820ND
2018-10-165401-038-0950ND
2018-10-165401-041-1005ND
2019-02-055401-041-0930ND
2019-02-055401-053-10000.600 ppm
2019-02-055401-038-0940ND
2019-02-055401-040-08201.49 ppm
2019-05-135401-053-09550.590 ppm
2019-05-145401-041-0915ND
2019-05-145401-040-0815ND
2019-05-145401-038-09000.450 ppm
2019-07-165401-053-10300.590 ppm
2019-07-165401-041-1000ND
2019-07-165401-038-09350.620 ppm
2019-07-165401-040-0755ND
2019-10-155401-053-10000.600 ppm
2019-10-155401-041-0910ND
2019-10-155401-040-0825ND
2019-10-155401-038-0925ND