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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrite

Philadelphia Water Department

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

 

219

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND390ND
2015ND390ND
2016ND360ND
2017ND360ND
2018ND360ND
2019ND330ND

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
2014-01-07DW140107-003ND
2014-01-07DW140107-002ND
2014-01-07DW140107-001ND
2014-02-04DW140204-003ND
2014-02-04DW140204-002ND
2014-02-04DW140204-001ND
2014-02-267375542ND
2014-02-267375544ND
2014-02-267375543ND
2014-03-047381423ND
2014-03-047381420ND
2014-03-047381422ND
2014-04-087422885ND
2014-04-087422884ND
2014-04-087422883ND
2014-05-067453526ND
2014-05-067453527ND
2014-05-067453528ND
2014-06-037485909ND
2014-06-037485908ND
2014-06-037485907ND
2014-07-087525742ND
2014-07-087525741ND
2014-07-087525740ND
2014-08-05DW140805-040ND
2014-08-05DW140805-021ND
2014-08-05DW140805-013ND
2014-09-09DW140909-040ND
2014-09-09DW140909-021ND
2014-09-09DW140909-013ND
2014-10-07DW141007-040ND
2014-10-07DW141007-021ND
2014-10-07DW141007-013ND
2014-11-04DW141104-040ND
2014-11-04DW141104-021ND
2014-11-04DW141104-013ND
2014-12-09DW141209-040ND
2014-12-09DW141209-021ND
2014-12-09DW141209-013ND
2015-01-0812291973ND
2015-01-0812291975ND
2015-01-0812291974ND
2015-02-0312406610ND
2015-02-0312406609ND
2015-02-0312406608ND
2015-03-0312520269ND
2015-03-0312520268ND
2015-03-0312520267ND
2015-04-2712637795ND
2015-04-2712637797ND
2015-04-2712637796ND
2015-05-0512754325ND
2015-05-0512754324ND
2015-05-0512754323ND
2015-06-0912887863ND
2015-06-0912887862ND
2015-06-0912887861ND
2015-07-2113017934ND
2015-07-2113017932ND
2015-07-2113017930ND
2015-08-0413140331ND
2015-08-1113140335ND
2015-08-1113140334ND
2015-09-0113269519ND
2015-09-0113269521ND
2015-09-0113269523ND
2015-09-2313269520ND
2015-09-2313269522ND
2015-09-2313269524ND
2015-10-0613393703ND
2015-10-0613393702ND
2015-10-0613393701ND
2015-11-0313518714ND
2015-11-0313518713ND
2015-11-0313518712ND
2015-12-0813638291ND
2015-12-0813638290ND
2015-12-0813638289ND
2016-01-0513757862ND
2016-01-0513757861ND
2016-01-0513757860ND
2016-02-0913874681ND
2016-02-0913874680ND
2016-02-0913874679ND
2016-03-0813991115ND
2016-03-0813991114ND
2016-03-0813991113ND
2016-04-1214109025ND
2016-04-1214109024ND
2016-04-1214109023ND
2016-05-0314256864ND
2016-05-0314256863ND
2016-05-0314256862ND
2016-06-0714411892ND
2016-06-0714411891ND
2016-06-0714411890ND
2016-07-1214576498ND
2016-07-1214576497ND
2016-07-1214576496ND
2016-08-0914741963ND
2016-08-0914741962ND
2016-08-0914741961ND
2016-09-1314914620ND
2016-09-1314914619ND
2016-09-1314914618ND
2016-10-0415081544ND
2016-10-0415081543ND
2016-10-0415081542ND
2016-11-1515231699ND
2016-11-1515231698ND
2016-11-1515231697ND
2016-12-0615379672ND
2016-12-0615379671ND
2016-12-0615379670ND
2017-01-1715523046ND
2017-01-1715523045ND
2017-01-1715523044ND
2017-02-0715661907ND
2017-02-0715661906ND
2017-02-0715661905ND
2017-03-0715801626ND
2017-03-0715801625ND
2017-03-0715801624ND
2017-04-0415944724ND
2017-04-0415944723ND
2017-04-0415944722ND
2017-05-1716101145ND
2017-05-1716101147ND
2017-05-1716101146ND
2017-06-0616263443ND
2017-06-0616263442ND
2017-06-0616263441ND
2017-07-1116419693ND
2017-07-1116419692ND
2017-07-1116419691ND
2017-08-0816572440ND
2017-08-0816572439ND
2017-08-0816572438ND
2017-09-1216733259ND
2017-09-1216733258ND
2017-09-1216733257ND
2017-10-0316885908ND
2017-10-0316885907ND
2017-10-0316885906ND
2017-11-0717029415ND
2017-11-0717029414ND
2017-11-0717029413ND
2017-12-0517167853ND
2017-12-0517167852ND
2017-12-0517167851ND
2018-01-09DW180109-043ND
2018-01-09DW180109-022ND
2018-01-09DW180109-013ND
2018-02-06DW180206-042ND
2018-02-06DW180206-022ND
2018-02-06DW180206-013ND
2018-03-06DW180306-040ND
2018-03-06DW180306-020ND
2018-03-06DW180306-011ND
2018-04-03DW180403-047ND
2018-04-03DW180403-020ND
2018-04-03DW180403-011ND
2018-05-08DW180508-040ND
2018-05-08DW180508-020ND
2018-05-08DW180508-011ND
2018-06-05DW180605-038ND
2018-06-05DW180605-020ND
2018-06-05DW180605-011ND
2018-07-10DW180710-039ND
2018-07-10DW180710-020ND
2018-07-10DW180710-011ND
2018-08-07DW180807-039ND
2018-08-07DW180807-020ND
2018-08-07DW180807-011ND
2018-09-11DW180911-039ND
2018-09-11DW180911-020ND
2018-09-11DW180911-011ND
2018-10-16DW181016-041ND
2018-10-16DW181016-020ND
2018-10-16DW181016-011ND
2018-11-06DW181106-041ND
2018-11-06DW181106-020ND
2018-11-06DW181106-011ND
2018-12-04DW181204-040ND
2018-12-04DW181204-019ND
2018-12-04DW181204-011ND
2019-01-08DW190108-040ND
2019-01-08DW190108-019ND
2019-01-08DW190108-011ND
2019-02-05DW190205-040ND
2019-02-05DW190205-019ND
2019-02-05DW190205-011ND
2019-03-05DW190305-041ND
2019-03-05DW190305-020ND
2019-03-05DW190305-011ND
2019-05-07DW190507-040ND
2019-05-07DW190507-020ND
2019-05-07DW190507-011ND
2019-06-20DW190620-055ND
2019-06-20DW190620-037ND
2019-06-20DW190620-019ND
2019-07-09DW190709-040ND
2019-07-09DW190709-020ND
2019-07-09DW190709-011ND
2019-08-13DW190813-040ND
2019-08-13DW190813-020ND
2019-08-13DW190813-011ND
2019-09-10DW190910-040ND
2019-09-10DW190910-020ND
2019-09-10DW190910-011ND
2019-10-08DW191008-039ND
2019-10-08DW191008-020ND
2019-10-08DW191008-011ND
2019-11-05DW191105-039ND
2019-11-05DW191105-020ND
2019-11-05DW191105-011ND
2019-12-03DW191203-039ND
2019-12-03DW191203-020ND
2019-12-03DW191203-011ND