Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Lakota, City of

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)

2

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.140 ppm110.140 ppm
20190.200 ppm110.200 ppm
20200.1000 ppm110.1000 ppm
20210.0330 ppm110.0330 ppm
20220.308 ppm110.308 ppm
20230.0910 ppm110.0910 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
2018-04-0218-S3840.140 ppm
2019-03-0419-S2800.200 ppm
2020-03-093615330.1000 ppm
2021-06-073808010.0330 ppm
2022-05-233955340.308 ppm
2023-04-114091600.0910 ppm