Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Sharon Water & Sewer 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.

 

18

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

6

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.163 ppm330.0700 ppm - 0.250 ppm
20190.170 ppm330.120 ppm - 0.220 ppm
20200.113 ppm330.0900 ppm - 0.160 ppm
20210.0867 ppm330.0700 ppm - 0.1000 ppm
20220.143 ppm330.1000 ppm - 0.230 ppm
20230.0933 ppm330.0600 ppm - 0.130 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
2018-12-20CC181740.0700 ppm
2018-12-20CC181750.170 ppm
2018-12-20CC181730.250 ppm
2019-12-18CE901150.170 ppm
2019-12-18CE901170.120 ppm
2019-12-18CE901160.220 ppm
2020-12-16CH336430.0900 ppm
2020-12-16CH336450.160 ppm
2020-12-16CH336440.0900 ppm
2021-12-15CJ993090.0900 ppm
2021-12-15CJ993100.1000 ppm
2021-12-15CJ993110.0700 ppm
2022-12-07CM998710.1000 ppm
2022-12-07CM998730.230 ppm
2022-12-07CM998720.1000 ppm
2023-12-06CP617210.0600 ppm
2023-12-06CP617230.130 ppm
2023-12-06CP617220.0900 ppm