Nitrite

Chrisman

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.

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Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	ND	1	0	ND
2015	N/A	0	0	N/A
2016	N/A	0	0	N/A
2017	0.383 ppm	3	2	ND - 0.620 ppm
2018	1.12 ppm	8	4	ND - 3.10 ppm
2019	1.59 ppm	14	13	ND - 2.60 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	Lab ID	Result
2014-04-08	4041448-01	ND
2017-05-22	7053963-01	0.620 ppm
2017-08-22	7084348-01	0.530 ppm
2017-11-08	7111839-01	ND
2018-02-26	8024056-01	0.330 ppm
2018-06-14	8062928-01	ND
2018-10-03	8101159-01	3.10 ppm
2018-10-09	8102149-01	3.10 ppm
2018-10-30	8105777-01	2.40 ppm
2018-12-03	8120260-02	ND
2018-12-03	8120260-03	ND
2018-12-03	8120260-04	ND
2019-01-10	9012130-01	0.690 ppm
2019-01-29	9014520-01	2.40 ppm
2019-02-07	9021453-01	2.40 ppm
2019-02-19	9023324-01	0.590 ppm
2019-03-05	9030715-01	2.00 ppm
2019-04-15	9043510-01	2.60 ppm
2019-05-20	9054140-01	2.20 ppm
2019-06-12	9062530-01	1.90 ppm
2019-07-02	9070787-01	2.10 ppm
2019-08-15	9083592-01	2.10 ppm
2019-08-20	9084788-01	2.20 ppm
2019-09-23	9094554-01	0.420 ppm
2019-10-17	9103985-01	ND
2019-11-19	9113516-01	0.720 ppm