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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrite

Pawtucket

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.

 

23

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
2014ND90ND
2015ND10ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND90ND
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
2014-01-271401232-01_WL56ND
2014-03-271402016-01_WL56ND
2014-04-071402198-02_WL56ND
2014-04-071402198-06_WL56ND
2014-04-071402198-05_WL56ND
2014-04-071402198-04_WL56ND
2014-04-071402198-03_WL56ND
2014-04-071402198-08_WL56ND
2014-04-071402198-07_WL56ND
2015-03-311501722-01_WL56ND
2016-03-221601566-02_WL56ND
2016-03-221601566-03_WL56ND
2017-02-011701096-01_WL56ND
2017-03-291701674-02_WL56ND
2017-04-171701862-05_WL56ND
2017-04-171701862-04_WL56ND
2017-04-171701862-03_WL56ND
2017-04-171701862-01_WL56ND
2017-04-171701862-02_WL56ND
2017-04-171701862-07_WL56ND
2017-04-171701862-06_WL56ND
2018-03-281801540-03_WL56ND
2019-03-261901463-01_WL56ND