Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Bristol Water Department

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.

 

26

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

10

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.651 ppm550.0972 ppm - 1.85 ppm
20190.861 ppm550.111 ppm - 2.42 ppm
20200.584 ppm550.135 ppm - 1.33 ppm
20210.582 ppm54ND - 1.40 ppm
20220.591 ppm550.0599 ppm - 1.38 ppm
20230.109 ppm110.109 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 Lab ID Result
2018-01-10D8A0565-04NOX0.107 ppm
2018-01-10D8A0565-03NOX1.09 ppm
2018-01-10D8A0565-02NOX1.85 ppm
2018-01-10D8A0565-01NOX0.0972 ppm
2018-03-07D8C0471-01NOXR0.117 ppm
2019-03-27D9C2628-01NOX0.111 ppm
2019-03-27D9C2628-04NOX0.117 ppm
2019-03-27D9C2628-03NOX1.54 ppm
2019-03-27D9C2628-02NOX2.42 ppm
2019-03-27D9C2626-01IOCR0.118 ppm
2020-01-31D0A2597-04NOX1.18 ppm
2020-01-31D0A2598-01IOCR0.139 ppm
2020-01-31D0A2597-03NOX1.33 ppm
2020-01-31D0A2597-02NOX0.137 ppm
2020-01-31D0A2597-01NOX0.135 ppm
2021-02-25D1B2168-01NOX0.0706 ppm
2021-02-25D1B2168-02NOX0.0860 ppm
2021-02-25D1B2168-03NOX1.35 ppm
2021-02-25D1B2168-04NOX1.40 ppm
2021-12-1621121612-003-IOCND
2022-02-03D2B0373-01IOC0.0599 ppm
2022-04-07D2D0784-01NOX0.101 ppm
2022-04-07D2D0784-02NOX0.102 ppm
2022-04-07D2D0784-03NOX1.38 ppm
2022-04-07D2D0887-01NOX1.32 ppm
2023-02-23D3B2331-01IOC0.109 ppm