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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrite

Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community

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.

 

14

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND40ND
20150.0275 ppm41ND - 0.110 ppm
2016ND30ND
2017ND10ND
2018ND10ND
2019ND10ND

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
2014-01-107332151ND
2014-04-167432122ND
2014-07-087525249ND
2014-10-027622236ND
2015-01-0612376725ND
2015-04-1412723965ND
2015-07-0813110188ND
2015-10-15134859630.110 ppm
2016-01-0513845112ND
2016-01-0513845076ND
2016-03-0914074855ND
2017-01-1015627333ND
2018-01-098000664-01ND
2019-01-089000983-01ND