Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Eugene Water & Electric Board

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.

 

26

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

4

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND
20200.0386 ppm71ND - 0.270 ppm
20210.0800 ppm42ND - 0.170 ppm
2022ND30ND
20230.0625 ppm41ND - 0.250 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
2018-02-06180223101C-IND
2018-05-09180543001C-IND
2018-08-01180809401B-IND
2018-11-07201811080534-IND
2019-02-04201902050084-IND
2019-05-13201905140039-IND
2019-08-05201908060215-IND
2019-11-04201911051086-IND
2020-02-03202002040124-IND
2020-08-03202008040087-IND
2020-09-10202009110103-IND
2020-09-14202009150221-IND
2020-09-21202009220096-IND
2020-11-03202011040128-IND
2020-11-16202011170113-I0.270 ppm
2021-02-02202102030239-I0.150 ppm
2021-05-10202105110438-IND
2021-08-02202108030522-IND
2021-11-01202111020067-I0.170 ppm
2022-02-02202202040410-IND
2022-08-0122080056-01C-IND
2022-11-0722110349-01B-IND
2023-02-0623020244-01C-IND
2023-05-0823050406-01C-IND
2023-08-01380-57291-1-IND
2023-11-06380-69947-1-I0.250 ppm