Nitrite

PCUD-Pasco County Regional Public Water System

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.

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
2013	N/A	0	0	N/A
2014	ND	10	0	ND
2015	0.0280 ppm	5	1	ND - 0.140 ppm
2016	0.0540 ppm	5	1	ND - 0.270 ppm
2017	0.0273 ppm	10	3	ND - 0.120 ppm
2018	0.01000 ppm	6	2	ND - 0.0400 ppm
2019	0.00367 ppm	6	2	ND - 0.0130 ppm

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
2014-02-12	ND
2014-02-12	ND
2014-02-12	ND
2014-02-19	ND
2014-02-19	ND
2014-02-19	ND
2014-02-19	ND
2014-02-19	ND
2014-02-26	ND
2014-02-26	ND
2015-02-09	ND
2015-02-09	ND
2015-02-09	ND
2015-02-17	ND
2015-02-17	0.140 ppm
2016-01-11	ND
2016-01-11	ND
2016-01-13	ND
2016-01-28	0.270 ppm
2016-04-21	ND
2017-01-18	ND
2017-01-18	ND
2017-01-18	ND
2017-01-18	ND
2017-02-07	0.120 ppm
2017-02-28	ND
2017-03-01	0.0430 ppm
2017-03-02	0.110 ppm
2017-03-06	ND
2017-03-07	ND
2018-01-10	ND
2018-01-10	ND
2018-01-10	ND
2018-01-10	0.0200 ppm
2018-01-17	ND
2018-01-17	0.0400 ppm
2019-01-02	ND
2019-01-02	ND
2019-01-02	0.00900 ppm
2019-01-02	0.0130 ppm
2019-01-02	ND
2019-06-12	ND