Nitrite

City of Stockton

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	Range of results
2014	ND	4	ND
2015	ND	7	ND
2016	ND	8	ND
2017	ND	3	ND
2018	ND	8	ND
2019	ND	5	ND

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
2014-06-11	5810-104-0950	ND
2014-08-11	5810-083-0900	ND
2014-08-12	5810-096-0950	ND
2014-08-12	5810-094-0925	ND
2015-06-10	5810-104-1000	ND
2015-08-13	5810-037-1100	ND
2015-08-13	5810-039-1015	ND
2015-08-13	5810-087-1130	ND
2015-08-19	5810-084-0910	ND
2015-08-25	5810-038-0825	ND
2015-08-25	5810-040-0835	ND
2016-06-21	5867-104-1116	ND
2016-08-18	5867-100-0940	ND
2016-08-18	5867-098-0900	ND
2016-08-18	5867-092-1020	ND
2016-08-18	5867-046-0830	ND
2016-08-25	5867-089-1030	ND
2016-08-25	5867-055-1101	ND
2016-08-25	5867-003-0927	ND
2017-06-22	5867-104-1002	ND
2017-08-08	5867-083-0900	ND
2017-08-08	5867-094-0810	ND
2018-07-11	9590-104-1200	ND
2018-08-14	9590-038-1110	ND
2018-08-22	9590-003-1030	ND
2018-08-22	9590-084-1150	ND
2018-08-22	9590-055-1110	ND
2018-08-22	9590-046-0945	ND
2018-08-29	9590-087-1140	ND
2018-08-29	9590-037-1110	ND
2019-06-11	1610-104-1005	ND
2019-08-06	1610-098-0800	ND
2019-08-06	1610-096-1000	ND
2019-08-06	1610-092-0910	ND
2019-08-06	1610-046-0840	ND