Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

Knoxville Utilities Board-KUB

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.

 

4

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

4

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.670 ppm110.670 ppm
20190.540 ppm110.540 ppm
2020N/A00N/A
20210.420 ppm110.420 ppm
20220.420 ppm110.420 ppm
2023N/A00N/A

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 Result
2018-04-030.670 ppm
2019-06-250.540 ppm
2021-06-170.420 ppm
2022-06-080.420 ppm