Nitrate and nitrite

Middletown 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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	0.161 ppm	4	4	0.00900 ppm - 0.311 ppm
2015	N/A	0	0	N/A
2016	0.0878 ppm	4	4	0.00300 ppm - 0.171 ppm
2017	0.137 ppm	4	4	0.00600 ppm - 0.277 ppm
2018	0.185 ppm	4	4	0.00700 ppm - 0.374 ppm
2019	0.166 ppm	4	4	0.00600 ppm - 0.337 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
2014-06-09	IOCR 200397421	0.311 ppm
2014-06-09	NOX 200397418	0.0120 ppm
2014-06-09	NOX 200397419	0.311 ppm
2014-06-09	IOCR 200397420	0.00900 ppm
2016-06-20	NOX 200442684	0.00700 ppm
2016-06-20	IOCR 200442685	0.00300 ppm
2016-06-29	NOX 200443422	0.171 ppm
2016-06-29	IOCR 200443423	0.170 ppm
2017-05-16	RIOC 200467167	0.00600 ppm
2017-05-16	RIOC 200467168	0.277 ppm
2017-05-16	NOX 200467165	0.258 ppm
2017-05-16	NOX 200467163	0.00700 ppm
2018-03-01	NOX 200489001	0.00800 ppm
2018-03-01	IOCR 200489002	0.00700 ppm
2018-04-16	IOCR 200492151	0.350 ppm
2018-04-16	NOX 200492152	0.374 ppm
2019-05-13	NOX 200531892	0.337 ppm
2019-05-13	IOCR 200531894	0.312 ppm
2019-05-21	NOX 200533082	0.00600 ppm
2019-05-21	IOCR 200533084	0.00900 ppm