Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Elba Water Works

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)

4

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND40ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021N/A00N/A
20220.213 ppm440.200 ppm - 0.240 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
2019-07-3020114951001_IIOCND
2019-07-3020114951002_IIOCND
2019-07-3020114951003_IIOCND
2019-07-3020114951004_IIOCND
2022-03-2935706619001_IIOC0.200 ppm
2022-03-2935706619002_IIOC0.240 ppm
2022-09-2235748610001_IIOC0.200 ppm
2022-09-2235748610002_IIOC0.210 ppm