Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Metropolitan District Commission

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.

 

48

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

3

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.0186 ppm72ND - 0.0700 ppm
20190.0429 ppm75ND - 0.130 ppm
20200.157 ppm11110.00500 ppm - 0.430 ppm
20210.0343 ppm76ND - 0.0800 ppm
20220.0343 ppm76ND - 0.0710 ppm
20230.0410 ppm990.0110 ppm - 0.0800 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
2018-07-18AE01630GEND
2018-07-18AE01632GE0.0600 ppm
2018-07-18AE01640GEND
2018-07-18AE01641GEND
2018-07-18AE01637GEND
2018-07-18AE01636GEND
2018-07-18AE01631GE0.0700 ppm
2019-12-03CE707340.130 ppm
2019-12-03CE70735ND
2019-12-03CE70736ND
2019-12-03CE707330.0200 ppm
2019-12-03CE707410.0700 ppm
2019-12-03CE707390.0200 ppm
2019-12-03CE707400.0600 ppm
2020-06-16AE60680GE0.430 ppm
2020-06-16AE60679GE0.0600 ppm
2020-06-16AE60681GE0.340 ppm
2020-06-16AE60689GE0.140 ppm
2020-06-16AE60690GE0.120 ppm
2020-06-16AE60686GE0.410 ppm
2020-06-16AE60685GE0.120 ppm
2020-12-08IOCR 2006006170.00500 ppm
2020-12-08IOCR 2006006160.0360 ppm
2020-12-08IOCR 2006006140.00800 ppm
2020-12-08IOCR 2006006150.0580 ppm
2021-11-23N300107450 3001074530.0480 ppm
2021-11-23N300107451 3001074590.0800 ppm
2021-11-23I300107476 300107478ND
2021-11-29N300109635 3001096390.0170 ppm
2021-11-29I300109610 3001096120.0120 ppm
2021-11-30I300109649 3001096520.0270 ppm
2021-11-30I300109650 3001096580.0560 ppm
2022-12-08I300283837 3002838410.0470 ppm
2022-12-08300283822 300283826B0.0250 ppm
2022-12-15N300287072 3002870750.0250 ppm
2022-12-15I300287081 300287085ND
2022-12-15I300287109 3002871110.0120 ppm
2022-12-15N300287100 3002871030.0710 ppm
2022-12-15N300287053 3002870560.0600 ppm
2023-12-06N300456222 3004562240.0720 ppm
2023-12-06N300456228 3004562300.0770 ppm
2023-12-06I300456234 3004562360.0110 ppm
2023-12-06N300456234 3004562360.0110 ppm
2023-12-12N300459242 3004592430.0710 ppm
2023-12-12N300459261 3004592620.0150 ppm
2023-12-12N300459237 3004592390.0200 ppm
2023-12-12N300459258 3004592600.0800 ppm
2023-12-12N300459231 3004592330.0120 ppm