Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Colorado City Md

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.

 

8

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

4

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
20190.250 ppm21ND - 0.500 ppm
20200.326 ppm220.0110 ppm - 0.640 ppm
2021N/A00N/A
20220.189 ppm330.0160 ppm - 0.530 ppm
20230.600 ppm110.600 ppm

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 Result
2019-01-290.500 ppm
2019-01-29ND
2020-12-080.640 ppm
2020-12-080.0110 ppm
2022-03-140.0210 ppm
2022-03-140.530 ppm
2022-11-170.0160 ppm
2023-09-260.600 ppm