Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate and nitrite

City of Yakima 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.

 

22

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

15

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.230 ppm64ND - 0.590 ppm
20190.184 ppm54ND - 0.490 ppm
2020N/A00N/A
20210.268 ppm54ND - 0.520 ppm
20220.237 ppm65ND - 0.542 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 Lab ID Result
2018-03-12ND
2018-03-26ND
2018-03-260.260 ppm
2018-05-140.590 ppm
2018-05-140.250 ppm
2018-07-180.280 ppm
2019-03-18ND
2019-05-080.0600 ppm
2019-05-290.280 ppm
2019-06-010.0900 ppm
2019-07-150.490 ppm
2021-01-264071143ND
2021-04-1542067030.300 ppm
2021-05-1341091890.240 ppm
2021-07-2741420410.520 ppm
2021-07-2741420400.280 ppm
2022-01-264240350ND
2022-04-2042682660.264 ppm
2022-04-2142682700.251 ppm
2022-07-1443089180.542 ppm
2022-07-1443089190.185 ppm
2022-08-1643331130.180 ppm