Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

City of Cornelius

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.

 

11

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

4

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND10ND
20210.211 ppm52ND - 0.938 ppm
20220.174 ppm43ND - 0.328 ppm
20230.390 ppm110.390 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
2020-05-13013402601-IND
2021-05-10113001301-IND
2021-07-20120100801-IND
2021-10-06127900401-I0.115 ppm
2021-11-16132000801-I0.938 ppm
2021-11-16132001201-IND
2022-03-01206000601-I0.328 ppm
2022-05-18213801001-I0.298 ppm
2022-05-242144007-01-IND
2022-08-122224001-01-I0.0680 ppm
2023-04-24380-44827-1-I0.390 ppm