Nitrite

Altoona Water Authority

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

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Range of results
2013	N/A	0	N/A
2014	ND	6	ND
2015	ND	6	ND
2016	ND	5	ND
2017	ND	6	ND
2018	ND	6	ND
2019	ND	4	ND

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
2014-08-07	4H07065-01	ND
2014-08-07	4H07067-01	ND
2014-08-08	4H08030-01	ND
2014-08-08	4H08045-01	ND
2014-08-08	4H08031-01	ND
2014-08-08	4H08044-01	ND
2015-07-22	13058887	ND
2015-07-22	13058891	ND
2015-07-22	13058889	ND
2015-07-22	13058885	ND
2015-07-22	13058883	ND
2015-07-22	13058881	ND
2016-07-13	14631743	ND
2016-07-13	14631789	ND
2016-07-13	14631766	ND
2016-07-13	14631812	ND
2016-07-14	14631835	ND
2017-02-14	15705257	ND
2017-08-08	16624589	ND
2017-08-08	16624587	ND
2017-08-08	16624593	ND
2017-08-08	16624591	ND
2017-08-16	16624704	ND
2018-08-28	8H28046-01	ND
2018-08-28	8H28044-01	ND
2018-08-28	8H28051-01	ND
2018-08-28	8H28032-01	ND
2018-08-28	8H28031-01	ND
2018-08-28	8H28047-01	ND
2019-11-06	9K07058-01	ND
2019-11-06	9K07060-01	ND
2019-11-07	9K07074-01	ND
2019-11-07	9K07072-01	ND