Nitrate and nitrite

Birmingham Water Works 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.

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
2013	N/A	0	0	N/A
2014	0.600 ppm	4	3	ND - 1.38 ppm
2015	0.298 ppm	4	3	ND - 0.540 ppm
2016	N/A	0	0	N/A
2017	N/A	0	0	N/A
2018	0.345 ppm	4	4	0.264 ppm - 0.529 ppm
2019	0.393 ppm	8	8	0.294 ppm - 0.509 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
2014-02-17	1402170738-3	0.560 ppm
2014-02-17	1402170738-2	0.460 ppm
2014-02-17	1402170738-1	ND
2014-02-17	1402170738-4	1.38 ppm
2015-02-10	73802102015-4	0.540 ppm
2015-02-10	73802102015-3	0.330 ppm
2015-02-10	73802102015-2	0.320 ppm
2015-02-10	73802102015-1	ND
2018-08-14	2018080915-022	0.292 ppm
2018-08-14	2018080915-019	0.264 ppm
2018-08-14	2018080915-020	0.294 ppm
2018-08-14	2018080915-021	0.529 ppm
2019-02-28	2019020414-022	0.461 ppm
2019-02-28	2019020414-021	0.389 ppm
2019-02-28	2019020414-020	0.319 ppm
2019-02-28	2019020414-019	0.294 ppm
2019-08-13	2019080713-022	0.509 ppm
2019-08-13	2019080713-021	0.493 ppm
2019-08-13	2019080713-020	0.346 ppm
2019-08-13	2019080713-019	0.332 ppm