Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Galena Wtp1 - City

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.

 

8

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

3

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.340 ppm110.340 ppm
2019ND10ND
2020ND10ND
20210.230 ppm110.230 ppm
20220.293 ppm110.293 ppm
2023ND30ND

ppm = parts per million

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.14 ppm

The EWG 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
2018-12-11PEF461220.340 ppm
2019-09-10PEF53244ND
2020-06-01PEF58708-NO3ND
2021-03-04PEF652870.230 ppm
2022-03-14PEF74182-NO30.293 ppm
2023-10-22PEF89974-NO3ND
2023-12-22PEF91470-NO3ND
2023-12-22PEF91469-NO3ND