Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Loring Development Authority

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
20180.690 ppm110.690 ppm
20190.740 ppm110.740 ppm
20200.900 ppm110.900 ppm
20210.700 ppm110.700 ppm
20220.650 ppm110.650 ppm
20230.700 ppm110.700 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
2018-04-161804096-010.690 ppm
2019-04-291903743-010.740 ppm
2020-04-202003911-010.900 ppm
2021-05-172101938-010.700 ppm
2022-04-262203457-010.650 ppm
2023-04-242303337-010.700 ppm