Nitrite

Truckee Meadows Water Authority

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

116

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Range of results
2013	N/A	0	N/A
2014	ND	15	ND
2015	ND	9	ND
2016	ND	22	ND
2017	ND	26	ND
2018	ND	21	ND
2019	ND	23	ND

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-04-22	0414-12-I	ND
2014-04-23	0414-17-I	ND
2014-04-23	0414-16-I	ND
2014-05-17	0614-13-I	ND
2014-06-09	0614-06-I	ND
2014-06-09	0614-07-I	ND
2014-06-17	0614-11-I	ND
2014-06-17	0614-10-I	ND
2014-06-17	0614-09-I	ND
2014-06-17	0614-12-I	ND
2014-06-17	0614-13-N	ND
2014-06-17	0514-14-I	ND
2014-06-24	0614-28-I	ND
2014-06-24	0614-26-I	ND
2014-09-02	0914-05	ND
2015-06-08	1506017-01	ND
2015-06-08	1506018-01	ND
2015-06-11	1506027-01	ND
2015-06-17	1506035-01	ND
2015-06-17	1506036-01	ND
2015-06-17	1506037-01	ND
2015-06-17	1506038-01	ND
2015-06-23	1506055-01	ND
2015-06-23	1506061-01	ND
2016-05-31	1605028-01	ND
2016-05-31	1605025-01	ND
2016-05-31	1605026-01	ND
2016-05-31	1605027-01	ND
2016-06-01	1606001-01	ND
2016-06-06	1606010-01	ND
2016-06-28	1606059-01	ND
2016-06-28	1606052-01	ND
2016-07-19	1607023-01	ND
2016-07-19	1607024-01	ND
2016-07-19	1607025-01	ND
2016-08-04	1608010-01	ND
2016-08-04	1608011-01	ND
2016-08-04	1608012-01	ND
2016-08-15	1608022-01	ND
2016-08-15	1608023-01	ND
2016-08-24	1608035-01	ND
2016-08-24	1608034-01	ND
2016-08-24	1608033-01	ND
2016-08-24	1608037-01	ND
2016-08-25	1608036-01	ND
2016-08-25	1608039-01	ND
2017-02-07	1702004-01	ND
2017-03-08	1703009-01	ND
2017-03-08	1703008-01	ND
2017-05-02	1705003-01	ND
2017-05-02	1705004-01	ND
2017-05-02	1705005-01	ND
2017-05-15	1705023-01	ND
2017-05-15	1705025-01	ND
2017-05-15	1705024-01	ND
2017-05-25	1705041-01	ND
2017-06-14	1706017-01	ND
2017-07-11	1707003-01	ND
2017-07-11	1707002-01	ND
2017-07-11	1707005-01	ND
2017-07-11	1707004-01	ND
2017-07-18	1707020-01	ND
2017-07-18	1707021-01	ND
2017-07-18	1707022-01	ND
2017-07-18	1707024-01	ND
2017-08-16	1708013-01	ND
2017-08-16	1708014-01	ND
2017-08-29	1708026-01	ND
2017-08-29	1708027-01	ND
2017-08-29	1708029-01	ND
2017-08-29	1708030-01	ND
2017-08-29	1708025-01	ND
2018-01-23	1801009-01	ND
2018-02-01	1802001-01	ND
2018-02-01	1802003-01	ND
2018-02-06	1802006-01	ND
2018-04-04	1804005-01	ND
2018-04-09	1804011-01	ND
2018-04-09	1804012-01	ND
2018-04-11	1804017-01	ND
2018-04-11	1804018-01	ND
2018-04-11	1804019-01	ND
2018-04-24	1804027-01	ND
2018-04-25	1804025-01	ND
2018-04-26	1804044-01	ND
2018-05-21	1805043-01	ND
2018-05-23	1805041-01	ND
2018-07-24	1807025-01	ND
2018-11-14	1811008-02	ND
2018-11-14	1811009-02	ND
2018-11-14	1811010-02	ND
2018-11-14	1811011-02	ND
2018-11-14	1811012-02	ND
2019-01-09	1901012-02	ND
2019-01-09	1901013-02	ND
2019-01-16	1901011-02	ND
2019-01-16	1901017-02	ND
2019-01-22	1901010-02	ND
2019-02-05	1902001-01	ND
2019-02-26	1902019-01	ND
2019-05-07	1905007-01	ND
2019-05-07	1905008-01	ND
2019-05-29	1905027-01NSHL	ND
2019-06-19	1906012-01	ND
2019-06-19	1906013-01	ND
2019-06-19	1906014-01	ND
2019-06-19	1906015-01	ND
2019-06-19	1906016-01	ND
2019-07-09	1907014-02WET	ND
2019-07-09	1907018-01WET	ND
2019-07-25	1907045-01	ND
2019-07-29	1907046-01	ND
2019-07-30	1907048-01	ND
2019-08-06	1908002-01	ND
2019-08-06	1908004-01	ND
2019-08-06	1908007-01	ND