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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrite

Aqua NJ - Phillipsburg

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.

 

11

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND20ND
2015ND20ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND20ND
2018ND20ND
2019ND10ND

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
2014-08-12AE44235ND
2014-08-12AE44238ND
2015-03-10AE68309ND
2015-03-31AE70764ND
2016-05-17AF16553ND
2016-08-18AF26885ND
2017-02-27AF44577ND
2017-08-29AF62048ND
2018-01-18AF74141ND
2018-10-18AF99028ND
2019-04-25AG15712ND