Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Brent Utilities Board

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.

 

6

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

5

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.380 ppm110.380 ppm
20190.490 ppm220.350 ppm - 0.630 ppm
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND10ND
20220.485 ppm220.370 ppm - 0.600 ppm
2023N/A00N/A

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
2018-01-29180129009-10.380 ppm
2019-01-2219010558-0010.630 ppm
2019-01-2219010558-0020.350 ppm
2021-04-1935626987001_IIOCND
2022-03-1035702830001_IIOC0.600 ppm
2022-10-2435755186001_IIOC0.370 ppm