Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Westchester County Water District #3

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.

 

10

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

2

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND10ND
20200.440 ppm21ND - 0.880 ppm
20210.143 ppm110.143 ppm
20220.101 ppm110.101 ppm
20230.0952 ppm440.0668 ppm - 0.135 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
2018-10-02AU213276NITND
2019-11-21AV24564NITND
2020-04-28AW07856NITND
2020-11-17AW22089NIT0.880 ppm
2021-10-29AX21799-NIT0.143 ppm
2022-10-19AY18880-NIT0.101 ppm
2023-04-25AZ07359-NIT0.135 ppm
2023-10-19AZ19381-NIT0.101 ppm
2023-11-01AZ20238-NIT0.0778 ppm
2023-11-01AZ20240-NIT0.0668 ppm