Nitrite

Rio Linda/Alverta Community Water District

Nitrite, closely related to the fertilizer chemical nitrate, comes from urban runoff and from fertilizer applied to agricultural lands to pollute drinking water. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Excessive nitrite in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer.

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Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Range of results
2014	ND	9	ND
2015	ND	1	ND
2016	N/A	0	N/A
2017	ND	11	ND
2018	ND	10	ND
2019	N/A	0	N/A

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 1 ppm

The legal limit for nitrite, established in 1991, was based on the rate of conversion of ingested nitrate into nitrite in adults. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to nitrite exposure.

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date	Lab ID	Result
2014-07-23	5810-031-0932	ND
2014-07-23	5810-025-1235	ND
2014-07-23	5810-022-1215	ND
2014-07-23	5810-021-1044	ND
2014-07-23	5810-020-1015	ND
2014-07-23	5810-019-1306	ND
2014-07-23	5810-018-0904	ND
2014-07-23	5810-017-0850	ND
2014-07-23	5810-016-1145	ND
2015-01-14	5810-023-0830	ND
2017-07-27	5810-031-0830	ND
2017-07-27	5810-016-1040	ND
2017-07-27	5810-017-0800	ND
2017-07-27	5810-018-0817	ND
2017-07-27	5810-019-1156	ND
2017-07-27	5810-020-0925	ND
2017-07-27	5810-025-1125	ND
2017-07-27	5810-023-1015	ND
2017-07-27	5810-003-0856	ND
2017-07-27	5810-022-1105	ND
2017-07-27	5810-021-0956	ND
2018-07-25	5810-023-0805	ND
2018-07-25	5810-025-0828	ND
2018-07-25	5810-020-1130	ND
2018-07-25	5810-031-1007	ND
2018-07-25	5810-019-1355	ND
2018-07-25	5810-022-1333	ND
2018-07-25	5810-018-0945	ND
2018-07-25	5810-017-0922	ND
2018-07-25	5810-021-1212	ND
2018-07-25	5810-016-1257	ND