Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Houma Water Treatment Service Area

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.

 

6

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

6

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
20190.160 ppm220.160 ppm
20200.200 ppm110.200 ppm
20210.200 ppm110.200 ppm
20220.400 ppm110.400 ppm
20230.300 ppm110.300 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
2019-02-18354493560010.160 ppm
2019-02-18354493560010.160 ppm
2020-01-22B2000277-0010.200 ppm
2021-03-11B2101111-0010.200 ppm
2022-03-02B2200939-0010.400 ppm
2023-03-27B2301363-0010.300 ppm