Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Marietta Public Works Authority

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.

 

18

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

7

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.212 ppm31ND - 0.636 ppm
20190.103 ppm31ND - 0.308 ppm
20200.205 ppm31ND - 0.614 ppm
20210.235 ppm32ND - 0.437 ppm
20220.233 ppm31ND - 0.700 ppm
20230.204 ppm31ND - 0.613 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
2018-03-211803666ND
2018-03-211803667ND
2018-03-2118036650.636 ppm
2019-03-061903051ND
2019-03-061903052ND
2019-03-0619030530.308 ppm
2020-03-04100071-01ND
2020-03-04100071-02ND
2020-03-04100071-030.614 ppm
2021-03-03105111-010.437 ppm
2021-03-03105111-03ND
2021-06-09106672-010.267 ppm
2022-03-02110493-010.700 ppm
2022-03-02110493-02ND
2022-03-02110493-03ND
2023-03-08115861-010.613 ppm
2023-03-08115861-02ND
2023-03-08115861-03ND