Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrite

Ridgewood Ledges Water Association

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.

 

3

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.200 ppm110.200 ppm
2019N/A00N/A
2020N/A00N/A
20210.170 ppm110.170 ppm
2022N/A00N/A
20230.110 ppm110.110 ppm

ppm = parts per million

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-04-038040466-010.200 ppm
2021-04-06ED00826-010.170 ppm
2023-06-0823F0425-010.110 ppm