Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Covington Water Supply

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)

4

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.167 ppm64ND - 0.400 ppm
2019ND60ND
2020ND30ND
20210.133 ppm32ND - 0.200 ppm
2022ND30ND
2023ND30ND

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
2018-07-02B1802967-001ND
2018-07-02B1802967-0020.400 ppm
2018-07-02B1802967-0030.1000 ppm
2018-07-02B1802967-001ND
2018-07-02B1802967-0020.400 ppm
2018-07-02B1802967-0030.1000 ppm
2019-09-19B1904335-002ND
2019-09-19B1904335-003ND
2019-09-19B1904335-001ND
2019-09-19B1904335-002ND
2019-09-19B1904335-003ND
2019-09-19B1904335-001ND
2020-01-27B2000331-001ND
2020-01-27B2000331-003ND
2020-01-27B2000331-002ND
2021-06-15B2102706-0010.200 ppm
2021-06-15B2102706-002ND
2021-06-15B2102706-0030.200 ppm
2022-03-08B2201046-001ND
2022-03-08B2201046-002ND
2022-03-08B2201046-003ND
2023-01-10B2300110-001ND
2023-01-10B2300110-002ND
2023-01-10B2300110-003ND