Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

West Baton Rouge Water Works District 2

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.

 

29

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

5

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND60ND
2019ND60ND
20200.0250 ppm41ND - 0.1000 ppm
20210.0400 ppm51ND - 0.200 ppm
20220.350 ppm42ND - 1.10 ppm
20230.250 ppm42ND - 0.500 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
2018-04-05AE21273ND
2018-04-05AE21278ND
2018-04-05AE21273ND
2018-04-05AE21278ND
2018-12-06B1805826-001ND
2018-12-06B1805826-001ND
2019-06-05B1902340-001ND
2019-06-05B1902340-001ND
2019-06-18B1902548-001ND
2019-06-18B1902548-001ND
2019-10-08B1904494-001ND
2019-10-08B1904494-001ND
2020-01-15B2000168-001ND
2020-02-27B2000955-001ND
2020-11-10B2005996-002ND
2020-11-10B2005994-0010.1000 ppm
2021-02-04B2100489-0020.200 ppm
2021-03-31B2101487-001ND
2021-03-31B2101487-002ND
2021-03-31B2101487-003ND
2021-09-20B2104674-002ND
2022-06-21B2202887-002ND
2022-10-17B2205085-0020.300 ppm
2022-10-17B2205085-003ND
2022-12-28B2300008-0011.10 ppm
2023-01-10B2300124-002ND
2023-04-26B2301809-0010.500 ppm
2023-04-26B2301809-0020.500 ppm
2023-04-26B2301809-003ND