Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

City of Plaquemine Water System

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.

 

24

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

6

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.500 ppm42ND - 1.000 ppm
2019ND100ND
20200.1000 ppm42ND - 0.200 ppm
20210.350 ppm220.200 ppm - 0.500 ppm
2022ND20ND
2023ND20ND

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
2018-05-07B1801825-0021.000 ppm
2018-05-07B1801825-001ND
2018-05-07B1801825-001ND
2018-05-07B1801825-0021.000 ppm
2019-05-20B1902050-001ND
2019-05-20B1902050-002ND
2019-05-20B1902050-002ND
2019-05-20B1902050-001ND
2019-05-21B1902058-002ND
2019-05-21B1902058-003ND
2019-05-21B1902058-002ND
2019-05-21B1902058-001ND
2019-05-21B1902058-003ND
2019-05-21B1902058-001ND
2020-07-27B2003701-0010.200 ppm
2020-07-27B2003701-0020.200 ppm
2020-10-20B2005462-001ND
2020-10-20B2005462-002ND
2021-05-25B2102380-0010.200 ppm
2021-05-25B2102380-0020.500 ppm
2022-05-16B2202318-006ND
2022-05-16B2202318-007ND
2023-03-28B2301356-001ND
2023-10-30B2304691-001ND