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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate and nitrite

Western Virginia Water Authority

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

95

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

63

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.495 ppm2520ND - 2.37 ppm
20150.509 ppm2215ND - 2.54 ppm
20160.402 ppm1310ND - 0.850 ppm
20170.399 ppm128ND - 0.840 ppm
20180.337 ppm118ND - 0.712 ppm
20190.407 ppm129ND - 0.958 ppm

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm

The 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
2014-02-25WA1404450.170 ppm
2014-02-25WA1404520.680 ppm
2014-02-26WA1405001.15 ppm
2014-02-26WA1405010.130 ppm
2014-03-11WA140631ND
2014-03-12WA1406300.740 ppm
2014-03-181406761.02 ppm
2014-03-18WA140677ND
2014-03-18WA1406761.02 ppm
2014-03-18140679ND
2014-05-12WA1411410.900 ppm
2014-05-12WA1411400.430 ppm
2014-05-13WA1411790.850 ppm
2014-05-13WA1411800.0700 ppm
2014-05-13WA1411782.37 ppm
2014-05-21WA1412630.570 ppm
2014-06-20WA1415360.380 ppm
2014-06-20WA1415410.0200 ppm
2014-06-25WA141589ND
2014-06-25WA1415940.640 ppm
2014-08-05WA142007ND
2014-08-05WA1420100.0300 ppm
2014-08-05WA1420050.400 ppm
2014-09-04WA1423790.440 ppm
2014-12-081412F36-03A0.370 ppm
2015-03-1600279-WESTERN VA0.480 ppm
2015-03-1700279-WESTERN VA0.650 ppm
2015-03-1800279-WESTERN VA1.15 ppm
2015-03-1800279-WESTERN VAND
2015-03-1800279-WESTERN VAND
2015-03-1800279-WESTERN VA0.680 ppm
2015-03-1900279-WESTERN VA1.03 ppm
2015-03-1900279-WESTERN VAND
2015-05-2600279-WESTERN VA0.680 ppm
2015-05-2600279-WESTERN VAND
2015-05-2600279-WESTERN VA0.320 ppm
2015-05-2600279-WESTERN VAND
2015-06-0800279-WESTERN VA0.380 ppm
2015-06-0800279-WESTERN VA0.0760 ppm
2015-06-0900279-WESTERN VA0.490 ppm
2015-06-0900279-WESTERN VA2.54 ppm
2015-06-0900279-WESTERN VA0.890 ppm
2015-06-1000279-WESTERN VA0.820 ppm
2015-09-0300279-WESTERN VAND
2015-09-0800279-WESTERN VAND
2015-09-1000279-WESTERN VA0.380 ppm
2015-12-1700279-WESTERN VA0.640 ppm
2016-03-09WA160722ND
2016-03-09WA1607230.740 ppm
2016-05-17WA161477ND
2016-05-17WA1614850.0200 ppm
2016-05-17WA1614730.310 ppm
2016-05-17WA1614820.660 ppm
2016-05-23WA1615340.850 ppm
2016-05-23WA1615360.480 ppm
2016-07-2616080342-01A0.770 ppm
2016-08-1616082311-01AND
2016-08-1616082312-03A0.250 ppm
2016-11-151634880.570 ppm
2016-11-15WA1634880.570 ppm
2017-03-01WA1705820.770 ppm
2017-03-01WA170581ND
2017-06-14WA1715130.430 ppm
2017-06-22WA1716110.680 ppm
2017-06-28WA1716460.280 ppm
2017-06-28WA1716490.770 ppm
2017-06-28WA171647ND
2017-06-28WA171648ND
2017-08-17WA1721430.300 ppm
2017-09-06WA1722490.720 ppm
2017-09-12WA172309ND
2017-11-29WA1730440.840 ppm
2018-02-13WA1804070.690 ppm
2018-03-14WA180694ND
2018-04-2618043375-04A0.281 ppm
2018-04-2618043366-04A0.712 ppm
2018-04-2618043360-04AND
2018-05-2218053225-03A0.662 ppm
2018-05-2318053225-04A0.415 ppm
2018-08-0818081489-01A0.0313 ppm
2018-08-2818084249-01AND
2018-08-2818084251-01A0.313 ppm
2018-11-2718113385-03A0.604 ppm
2019-02-0519020667-03A0.157 ppm
2019-02-0519020667-06A0.761 ppm
2019-04-0919041417-08AND
2019-05-2819053554-01AND
2019-05-2819053554-02A0.374 ppm
2019-05-2819053554-03A0.787 ppm
2019-05-2819053555-01A0.958 ppm
2019-06-0419061005-01AN0.575 ppm
2019-06-0519061004-04A0.647 ppm
2019-07-1619072568-04A0.322 ppm
2019-07-2519073343-01AND
2019-12-2645246750.300 ppm