Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Young Harris

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)

14

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.773 ppm32ND - 1.50 ppm
20191.07 ppm330.310 ppm - 1.50 ppm
20200.717 ppm32ND - 1.60 ppm
20210.707 ppm32ND - 1.20 ppm
20220.863 ppm330.530 ppm - 1.50 ppm
20230.637 ppm32ND - 1.40 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
2018-09-17AK01305ND
2018-09-17AK013061.50 ppm
2018-09-17AK013040.820 ppm
2019-08-28AK286210.310 ppm
2019-08-28AK286221.40 ppm
2019-08-28AK286231.50 ppm
2020-09-08AK57923ND
2020-09-08AK579241.60 ppm
2020-09-08AK579260.550 ppm
2021-07-06AK788850.920 ppm
2021-07-06AK788871.20 ppm
2021-07-06AK78886ND
2022-08-10AL094681.50 ppm
2022-08-10AL094690.530 ppm
2022-08-10AL094710.560 ppm
2023-07-25AL378191.40 ppm
2023-07-25AL37820ND
2023-07-25AL378210.510 ppm