Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Pascoag Utility District, Water Division

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.

 

8

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND10ND
2021ND20ND
2022N/A00N/A
2023ND10ND

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
2018-06-201802633-01_WL16ND
2018-09-271804230-01_WL16ND
2019-03-271901481-01_WL16ND
2019-03-271901481-02_WL16ND
2020-03-102001495-01_WL16ND
2021-03-262101593-01_WL16ND
2021-03-262101593-02_WL16ND
2023-03-062301297-01_WL16ND