Nitrate and nitrite

Jersey City Municipal Utilities 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

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	0.310 ppm	3	3	0.250 ppm - 0.350 ppm
2015	0.292 ppm	4	4	0.160 ppm - 0.440 ppm
2016	0.253 ppm	3	3	0.200 ppm - 0.340 ppm
2017	0.245 ppm	4	4	0.0600 ppm - 0.350 ppm
2018	0.288 ppm	4	4	0.190 ppm - 0.410 ppm
2019	0.368 ppm	4	4	0.140 ppm - 0.480 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
2014-01-02	369558NO3	0.250 ppm
2014-02-06	371596NO3	0.330 ppm
2014-07-03	380513NO3	0.350 ppm
2015-01-08	391738NO3	0.270 ppm
2015-04-09	396922NO3	0.440 ppm
2015-07-02	402073NO3	0.298 ppm
2015-10-01	407614NO3	0.160 ppm
2016-01-07	413222NO3	0.200 ppm
2016-04-07	418801NO3	0.340 ppm
2016-07-07	424375NO3	0.220 ppm
2017-01-05	436451NO3	0.320 ppm
2017-04-06	441891NO3	0.350 ppm
2017-07-05	447409NO3	0.250 ppm
2017-10-05	453725NO3	0.0600 ppm
2018-01-04	18010504-03	0.190 ppm
2018-04-05	18040509-03NO3	0.410 ppm
2018-07-05	18070521-03	0.290 ppm
2018-10-04	18100413-03	0.260 ppm
2019-01-03	19010306-03	0.440 ppm
2019-04-04	19040405-03	0.480 ppm
2019-07-02	19070215-03	0.410 ppm
2019-10-03	19100307-03	0.140 ppm