Nitrite

Williams Bay Waterworks

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.

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Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	0.0620 ppm	5	2	ND - 0.250 ppm
2015	0.0750 ppm	4	3	ND - 0.150 ppm
2016	0.0650 ppm	4	3	ND - 0.130 ppm
2017	0.0875 ppm	4	4	0.0400 ppm - 0.140 ppm
2018	0.128 ppm	4	4	0.0800 ppm - 0.170 ppm
2019	0.0905 ppm	4	4	0.0500 ppm - 0.150 ppm

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
2014-02-24	1402-552	0.0600 ppm
2014-04-16	1404-513	ND
2014-09-10	817242	ND
2014-09-11	1409-353	ND
2014-10-07	1410-230	0.250 ppm
2015-02-09	1502-206	0.150 ppm
2015-04-14	1504-393	ND
2015-08-18	1508-561	0.1000 ppm
2015-10-28	1510-824	0.0500 ppm
2016-03-15	1603-423	0.1000 ppm
2016-05-24	1605-628	0.130 ppm
2016-07-13	1607-443	ND
2016-10-17	1610-568	0.0300 ppm
2017-02-07	1702-182	0.0500 ppm
2017-06-20	1706-629	0.140 ppm
2017-08-21	1012783	0.120 ppm
2017-10-23	1710-788	0.0400 ppm
2018-02-14	1802-308	0.170 ppm
2018-06-26	1806-761	0.130 ppm
2018-07-17	1807-512	0.0800 ppm
2018-12-03	1812-010	0.130 ppm
2019-02-19	1902-450	0.150 ppm
2019-06-12	1906-339	0.0700 ppm
2019-07-24	1136671	0.0920 ppm
2019-12-18	1912-509	0.0500 ppm