Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Decatur Waterworks

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.

 

12

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

1

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND10ND
20210.415 ppm220.110 ppm - 0.720 ppm
2022ND10ND
2023ND10ND

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
2018-02-07Y180400009ND
2018-03-14Y180740005ND
2018-07-31Y182130105ND
2018-07-31Y182130106ND
2019-02-12Y190440001ND
2019-08-13Y192270026ND
2019-08-13Y192270008ND
2020-03-25Y200860022ND
2021-02-09Y2104300140.110 ppm
2021-05-11Y2113200100.720 ppm
2022-02-09Y220400036ND
2023-02-01Y230330028ND