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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrite

MDWASA/REX Utilities

Nitrite, closely related to the fertilizer chemical nitrate, comes from urban runoff and from fertilizer applied to agricultural lands to pollute drinking water. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Excessive nitrite in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer.

 

104

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.00325 ppm161ND - 0.0520 ppm
2015ND140ND
2016ND140ND
2017ND290ND
2018ND170ND
2019ND140ND

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 1 ppm

The legal limit for nitrite, established in 1991, was based on the rate of conversion of ingested nitrate into nitrite in adults. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to nitrite exposure.

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date Result
2014-01-14ND
2014-01-14ND
2014-01-14ND
2014-01-14ND
2014-01-14ND
2014-01-14ND
2014-01-14ND
2014-04-02ND
2014-04-02ND
2014-04-02ND
2014-07-01ND
2014-07-01ND
2014-07-01ND
2014-10-07ND
2014-10-070.0520 ppm
2014-10-07ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-04-14ND
2015-04-14ND
2015-04-14ND
2015-04-14ND
2015-04-14ND
2015-09-02ND
2015-09-02ND
2015-09-02ND
2015-10-07ND
2015-10-07ND
2015-10-07ND
2016-03-22ND
2016-03-31ND
2016-03-31ND
2016-05-17ND
2016-05-17ND
2016-05-17ND
2016-08-22ND
2016-08-22ND
2016-08-22ND
2016-10-11ND
2016-10-11ND
2016-10-11ND
2016-10-11ND
2016-10-11ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-02-14ND
2017-02-14ND
2017-02-14ND
2017-04-11ND
2017-04-11ND
2017-04-11ND
2017-04-11ND
2017-04-11ND
2017-04-11ND
2017-04-11ND
2017-05-09ND
2017-05-09ND
2017-07-18ND
2017-07-18ND
2017-07-18ND
2017-12-12ND
2017-12-12ND
2017-12-12ND
2017-12-12ND
2017-12-12ND
2018-01-16ND
2018-01-16ND
2018-01-16ND
2018-01-16ND
2018-01-16ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-04-17ND
2018-04-17ND
2018-04-17ND
2018-08-07ND
2018-08-07ND
2018-08-07ND
2018-10-02ND
2018-10-02ND
2018-10-02ND
2019-02-12ND
2019-02-12ND
2019-02-12ND
2019-04-09ND
2019-04-09ND
2019-04-09ND
2019-08-07ND
2019-08-07ND
2019-08-07ND
2019-10-15ND
2019-10-15ND
2019-10-15ND
2019-10-15ND
2019-10-15ND