Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Pontchatoula 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
20180.0333 ppm62ND - 0.1000 ppm
20190.267 ppm64ND - 0.400 ppm
2020ND30ND
20210.133 ppm32ND - 0.200 ppm
20220.0333 ppm31ND - 0.1000 ppm
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
2018-02-27AE20753ND
2018-02-27AE20762ND
2018-02-27AE207650.1000 ppm
2018-02-27AE20753ND
2018-02-27AE20762ND
2018-02-27AE207650.1000 ppm
2019-04-17B1901631-0010.400 ppm
2019-04-17B1901631-0020.400 ppm
2019-04-17B1901631-0010.400 ppm
2019-04-17B1901631-0020.400 ppm
2019-12-11B1905603-001ND
2019-12-11B1905603-001ND
2020-09-30B2005111-001ND
2020-09-30B2005111-003ND
2020-09-30B2005111-002ND
2021-02-08B2100562-0040.200 ppm
2021-02-08B2100562-005ND
2021-02-08B2100562-0060.200 ppm
2022-02-22B2200778-0010.1000 ppm
2022-02-22B2200778-002ND
2022-02-22B2200778-003ND
2023-08-23B2303457-001ND
2023-08-23B2303457-002ND
2023-08-23B2303457-003ND