Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Gurdon 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.

 

20

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

1

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND30ND
20210.0650 ppm62ND - 0.280 ppm
2022ND30ND
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
2018-04-24Y181150011ND
2018-04-24Y181150010ND
2019-01-23Y190240003ND
2019-04-30Y191220021ND
2019-04-30Y191220035ND
2020-02-04Y200380006ND
2020-06-10Y201630003ND
2020-06-10Y201630004ND
2021-02-09Y2104100180.110 ppm
2021-04-05Y210980008ND
2021-04-05Y210980009ND
2021-04-05Y210980016ND
2021-07-12Y211960012ND
2021-07-12Y2119600130.280 ppm
2022-02-07Y220410001ND
2022-05-04Y221250018ND
2022-05-04Y221250008ND
2023-02-13Y230470045ND
2023-05-08Y231310023ND
2023-05-09Y231310006ND