Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Nitrate and nitrite

Cash Point Landing

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.

 

10

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND20ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016ND20ND
20170.0125 ppm42ND - 0.0250 ppm
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND20ND

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm

The 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
2014-06-10AD92368ND
2014-06-10AD92368ND
2016-10-1135270336006ND
2016-10-1135270336006ND
2017-03-01352985440040.0250 ppm
2017-03-0135298544005ND
2017-03-01352985440040.0250 ppm
2017-03-0135298544005ND
2019-11-2735516193003ND
2019-11-2735516193003ND