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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate and nitrite

Holly Grove

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.

 

11

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

9

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.500 ppm110.500 ppm
2015N/A00N/A
20160.760 ppm110.760 ppm
2017N/A00N/A
20180.750 ppm65ND - 1.48 ppm
20190.930 ppm330.420 ppm - 1.19 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
2014-04-221411400150.500 ppm
2016-04-20Y1611200020.760 ppm
2018-02-27Y180600001ND
2018-04-24Y1811600390.1000 ppm
2018-06-13Y1816500080.730 ppm
2018-08-21Y1823500091.48 ppm
2018-09-11Y1825600021.17 ppm
2018-11-28Y1833300051.02 ppm
2019-03-19Y1907900440.420 ppm
2019-04-16Y1910800021.18 ppm
2019-05-29Y1915000031.19 ppm