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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrite

IL American-saunemin

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.

 

24

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.525 ppm440.300 ppm - 0.800 ppm
20150.325 ppm42ND - 0.800 ppm
2016ND40ND
2017ND40ND
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND

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
2014-01-13243914010.300 ppm
2014-04-01251808010.500 ppm
2014-07-07263661010.500 ppm
2014-10-13271797010.800 ppm
2015-01-14279275010.500 ppm
2015-04-07286113010.800 ppm
2015-07-1329632001ND
2015-10-0630400701ND
2016-01-0531037001ND
2016-04-0631729001ND
2016-07-1232631001ND
2016-10-0533586901ND
2017-01-0334223101ND
2017-04-0335226501ND
2017-07-1036376701ND
2017-10-0337309901ND
2018-01-0938133001ND
2018-04-0439126401ND
2018-07-1040375801ND
2018-10-0241347101ND
2019-01-0242587801ND
2019-04-0343831101ND
2019-07-1045127601ND
2019-10-2346674001ND