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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate and nitrite

Croppers 1st 4th and 5th Addition

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.

 

10

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

6

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND10ND
20150.411 ppm110.411 ppm
20160.529 ppm110.529 ppm
20170.535 ppm110.535 ppm
2018ND20ND
20190.585 ppm43ND - 1.11 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
2014-02-24SB40603-01_01ND
2015-02-24SB50498-01_010.411 ppm
2016-02-0916B0339-01_010.529 ppm
2017-01-3017A0783-01_010.535 ppm
2018-02-2018B0439-01_01ND
2018-03-0518C0100-01_03ND
2019-02-1919B0361-010.700 ppm
2019-05-2819E0878-010.530 ppm
2019-09-1019I0361-01ND
2019-11-1819K0491-011.11 ppm