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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate and nitrite

Kenney

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.

 

7

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

6

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.172 ppm110.172 ppm
20150.255 ppm110.255 ppm
20160.240 ppm110.240 ppm
20170.354 ppm110.354 ppm
20180.150 ppm110.150 ppm
20190.160 ppm21ND - 0.320 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
2014-07-15SG40813-01_010.172 ppm
2015-08-19SH51088-01_010.255 ppm
2016-07-1816G0633-01_010.240 ppm
2017-07-1917G0825-01_010.354 ppm
2018-07-2918G1283-010.150 ppm
2019-04-1019D0274-01ND
2019-07-2919G0998-010.320 ppm