Nitrate and nitrite
City of Alexandria 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.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0.0294 ppm | 14 | 4 | ND - 0.170 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0418 ppm | 90 | 40 | ND - 0.230 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.139 ppm | 10 | 8 | ND - 0.400 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0500 ppm | 12 | 4 | ND - 0.200 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0471 ppm | 17 | 7 | ND - 0.200 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0154 ppm | 13 | 1 | ND - 0.200 ppm |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928001 | ND |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928002 | ND |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928003 | ND |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928004 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928005 | 0.0360 ppm |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928006 | ND |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928001 | ND |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928002 | ND |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928003 | ND |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928004 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928005 | 0.0360 ppm |
| 2018-05-02 | 35389928006 | ND |
| 2018-11-19 | 35432686002 | ND |
| 2018-11-19 | 35432686002 | ND |
| 2019-01-30 | 35445470001 | 0.0780 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | 35445470002 | 0.0510 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | 35445470003 | 0.0800 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | 35445470004 | 0.0440 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | 35445470005 | 0.0400 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | 35445470001 | 0.0780 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | 35445470002 | 0.0510 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | 35445470003 | 0.0800 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | 35445470004 | 0.0440 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | 35445470005 | 0.0400 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 35446987001 | 0.0430 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 35446987002 | 0.0960 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 35446987003 | 0.0340 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 35446987004 | 0.0260 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 35446987005 | 0.0800 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 35446987001 | 0.0430 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 35446987002 | 0.0960 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 35446987003 | 0.0340 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 35446987004 | 0.0260 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 35446987005 | 0.0800 ppm |
| 2019-02-27 | 35451250001 | ND |
| 2019-02-27 | 35451250002 | ND |
| 2019-02-27 | 35451250003 | ND |
| 2019-02-27 | 35451250004 | ND |
| 2019-02-27 | 35451250005 | ND |
| 2019-02-27 | 35451250001 | ND |
| 2019-02-27 | 35451250002 | ND |
| 2019-02-27 | 35451250003 | ND |
| 2019-02-27 | 35451250004 | ND |
| 2019-02-27 | 35451250005 | ND |
| 2019-03-13 | 35454676001 | 0.230 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | 35454676002 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | 35454676003 | 0.0680 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | 35454676004 | ND |
| 2019-03-13 | 35454676001 | 0.230 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | 35454676002 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | 35454676003 | 0.0680 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | 35454676004 | ND |
| 2019-03-20 | 35456260001 | ND |
| 2019-03-20 | 35456260002 | ND |
| 2019-03-20 | 35456260003 | 0.0660 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | 35456260004 | 0.0650 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | 35456260005 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | 35456260001 | ND |
| 2019-03-20 | 35456260002 | ND |
| 2019-03-20 | 35456260003 | 0.0660 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | 35456260004 | 0.0650 ppm |
| 2019-03-20 | 35456260005 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2019-03-27 | 35457693001 | 0.230 ppm |
| 2019-03-27 | 35457693002 | 0.0520 ppm |
| 2019-03-27 | 35457693003 | ND |
| 2019-03-27 | 35457693004 | ND |
| 2019-03-27 | 35457693005 | 0.0860 ppm |
| 2019-03-27 | 35457693001 | 0.230 ppm |
| 2019-03-27 | 35457693002 | 0.0520 ppm |
| 2019-03-27 | 35457693003 | ND |
| 2019-03-27 | 35457693004 | ND |
| 2019-03-27 | 35457693005 | 0.0860 ppm |
| 2019-04-10 | 35461050001 | ND |
| 2019-04-10 | 35461050002 | ND |
| 2019-04-10 | 35461050003 | ND |
| 2019-04-10 | 35461050004 | ND |
| 2019-04-10 | 35461050005 | ND |
| 2019-04-10 | 35461050001 | ND |
| 2019-04-10 | 35461050002 | ND |
| 2019-04-10 | 35461050003 | ND |
| 2019-04-10 | 35461050004 | ND |
| 2019-04-10 | 35461050005 | ND |
| 2019-06-06 | B1902352-001 | ND |
| 2019-06-06 | B1902352-002 | ND |
| 2019-06-06 | B1902352-003 | ND |
| 2019-06-06 | B1902352-001 | ND |
| 2019-06-06 | B1902352-002 | ND |
| 2019-06-06 | B1902352-003 | ND |
| 2019-07-25 | B1903186-001 | ND |
| 2019-07-25 | B1903186-001 | ND |
| 2019-09-11 | B1904050-001 | ND |
| 2019-09-11 | B1904050-002 | ND |
| 2019-09-11 | B1904050-001 | ND |
| 2019-09-11 | B1904050-002 | ND |
| 2019-12-04 | B1905453-001 | ND |
| 2019-12-04 | B1905453-002 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2019-12-04 | B1905453-003 | ND |
| 2019-12-04 | B1905453-004 | ND |
| 2019-12-04 | B1905453-005 | ND |
| 2019-12-04 | B1905453-001 | ND |
| 2019-12-04 | B1905453-002 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2019-12-04 | B1905453-003 | ND |
| 2019-12-04 | B1905453-004 | ND |
| 2019-12-04 | B1905453-005 | ND |
| 2020-03-26 | B2001556-003 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2020-03-26 | B2001556-004 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2020-06-17 | B2002902-003 | 0.400 ppm |
| 2020-06-17 | B2002902-004 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2020-10-05 | 35583286001 | ND |
| 2020-10-05 | 35583286002 | 0.0810 ppm |
| 2020-10-05 | 35583286003 | 0.0560 ppm |
| 2020-10-05 | 35583286004 | 0.150 ppm |
| 2020-10-05 | 35583286005 | ND |
| 2020-11-09 | B2005987-002 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2021-01-26 | B2100374-001 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2021-01-26 | B2100376-002 | ND |
| 2021-05-05 | B2102139-002 | ND |
| 2021-08-10 | B2103808-002 | ND |
| 2021-08-10 | B2103808-003 | ND |
| 2021-10-01 | B2105317-001 | ND |
| 2021-10-01 | B2105317-002 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2021-10-01 | B2105317-004 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2021-10-01 | B2105317-005 | ND |
| 2021-10-01 | B2105317-007 | ND |
| 2021-10-01 | B2105317-008 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2021-10-01 | B2105317-009 | ND |
| 2022-01-04 | B2200014-004 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2022-01-19 | B2200275-006 | ND |
| 2022-02-02 | B2200523-006 | ND |
| 2022-02-02 | B2200523-007 | ND |
| 2022-02-02 | B2200523-008 | ND |
| 2022-02-23 | B2200866-006 | ND |
| 2022-03-09 | B2201054-005 | ND |
| 2022-03-23 | B2201361-007 | ND |
| 2022-03-24 | B2201361-006 | ND |
| 2022-07-18 | B2203404-007 | ND |
| 2022-07-18 | B2203404-008 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2022-09-06 | B2204412-004 | ND |
| 2022-09-06 | B2204412-005 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2022-09-06 | B2204412-006 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2022-09-06 | B2204412-007 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2022-09-13 | B2204412-003 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2022-11-30 | B2205669-003 | 0.1000 ppm |
| 2023-02-06 | B2300579-003 | ND |
| 2023-05-30 | B2302282-004 | ND |
| 2023-05-30 | B2302282-005 | ND |
| 2023-05-30 | B2302282-006 | ND |
| 2023-05-30 | B2302282-007 | ND |
| 2023-05-30 | B2302282-008 | ND |
| 2023-05-30 | B2302282-009 | ND |
| 2023-07-31 | B2303129-004 | ND |
| 2023-07-31 | B2303129-005 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2023-07-31 | B2303129-006 | ND |
| 2023-11-27 | B2305075-004 | ND |
| 2023-11-27 | B2305075-005 | ND |
| 2023-12-19 | B2305384-001 | ND |