Nitrate and nitrite

Floyd County

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	0.303 ppm	3	2	ND - 0.680 ppm
2015	0.465 ppm	4	4	0.240 ppm - 0.690 ppm
2016	0.523 ppm	4	4	0.240 ppm - 0.700 ppm
2017	0.525 ppm	4	4	0.290 ppm - 0.730 ppm
2018	0.548 ppm	4	4	0.280 ppm - 0.750 ppm
2019	0.656 ppm	5	5	0.260 ppm - 0.870 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
2014-05-06	AI39908	ND
2014-05-06	AI39885	0.680 ppm
2014-05-06	AI39884	0.230 ppm
2015-04-27	AI75655	0.380 ppm
2015-04-27	AI75654	0.690 ppm
2015-04-27	AI75653	0.240 ppm
2015-09-30	AI91814	0.550 ppm
2016-04-20	AJ10598	0.620 ppm
2016-04-20	AJ10597	0.530 ppm
2016-04-20	AJ10596	0.700 ppm
2016-04-20	AJ10595	0.240 ppm
2017-04-19	AJ53659	0.650 ppm
2017-04-19	AJ53658	0.430 ppm
2017-04-19	AJ53657	0.730 ppm
2017-04-19	AJ53656	0.290 ppm
2018-05-02	AJ88516	0.620 ppm
2018-05-02	AJ88507	0.540 ppm
2018-05-02	AJ88505	0.280 ppm
2018-05-02	AJ88504	0.750 ppm
2019-03-20	AK13679	0.260 ppm
2019-03-20	AK13673	0.850 ppm
2019-03-20	AK13656	0.550 ppm
2019-03-20	AK13655	0.750 ppm
2019-10-01	AK33647	0.870 ppm