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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrite

Hilo

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.

 

27

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
2014ND40ND
2015ND40ND
2016ND40ND
2017ND50ND
2018ND50ND
2019ND50ND

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
2014-01-22C14-01-0015ND
2014-01-22C14-01-0016ND
2014-01-22C14-01-0017ND
2014-01-22C14-01-0014ND
2015-02-04C15-02-0030ND
2015-02-04C15-02-0031ND
2015-02-04C15-02-0032ND
2015-02-04C15-02-0033ND
2016-03-22ND
2016-03-22ND
2016-03-22ND
2016-03-22ND
2017-03-14ND
2017-03-14ND
2017-03-14ND
2017-03-14ND
2017-05-09ND
2018-04-17C18-04-0123ND
2018-04-17C18-04-0124ND
2018-04-17C18-04-0125ND
2018-04-17C18-04-0126ND
2018-04-17C18-04-0127ND
2019-03-13C19-03-0091ND
2019-03-13C19-03-0092ND
2019-03-13C19-03-0093ND
2019-03-13C19-03-0094ND
2019-03-13C19-03-0095ND