Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrite

South Terry Water Association

Nitrite, closely related to the fertilizer chemical nitrate, comes from urban runoff and from fertilizer applied to agricultural lands to pollute drinking water. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Excessive nitrite in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer.

 

10

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND20ND
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND20ND
2023ND20ND

ppm = parts per million

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 1 ppm

The legal limit for nitrite, established in 1991, was based on the rate of conversion of ingested nitrate into nitrite in adults. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to nitrite exposure.

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-02-14180215-025NIND
2018-02-14180215-032NIND
2019-03-18190319-039NIND
2019-03-18190319-049NIND
2020-02-19200220-056NIND
2020-02-19200220-058NIND
2022-03-03NI-220303-062ND
2022-03-03NI-220303-063ND
2023-01-30NI-230130-002ND
2023-01-30NI-230130-003ND