Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Elsberry Health Care Center

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.

 

7

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.0320 ppm110.0320 ppm
20190.0360 ppm110.0360 ppm
20200.0860 ppm110.0860 ppm
20210.0710 ppm110.0710 ppm
2022N/A00N/A
20230.0603 ppm32ND - 0.115 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
2018-11-20AD360280.0320 ppm
2019-11-27AD583020.0360 ppm
2020-11-2420183800.0860 ppm
2021-11-2221198570.0710 ppm
2023-01-0422215080.115 ppm
2023-11-202318586ND
2023-11-2023185850.0660 ppm