Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Nitrite

NJ American Water - Short Hills

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

84

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND130ND
2015ND130ND
2016ND150ND
2017ND160ND
2018ND170ND
2019ND100ND

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
2014-01-2824703501ND
2014-01-2924533401ND
2014-01-2924530701ND
2014-02-2724703301ND
2014-04-2925368001ND
2014-06-0925750101ND
2014-07-0126164701ND
2014-07-0126164601ND
2014-07-0126164501ND
2014-07-1626162801ND
2014-08-1326570601ND
2014-08-2026570801ND
2014-08-2026569401ND
2015-01-0627835601ND
2015-01-2228271901ND
2015-02-2428074701ND
2015-02-2628074901ND
2015-04-2828516301ND
2015-06-2329401001ND
2015-07-0929695601ND
2015-07-0929695801ND
2015-07-0929695701ND
2015-07-1429693901ND
2015-08-2529941301ND
2015-08-2529939701ND
2015-08-2529941101ND
2016-01-0431121101ND
2016-01-0431123801ND
2016-02-0331342101ND
2016-03-1531342301ND
2016-04-1931791601ND
2016-06-0232499701ND
2016-07-1232824901ND
2016-07-1232825001ND
2016-07-1232824801ND
2016-07-1932823101ND
2016-08-0333067001ND
2016-08-2333069001ND
2016-08-2333068501ND
2016-08-2333068701ND
2016-11-1633911501ND
2017-01-2434410701ND
2017-01-3134414201ND
2017-02-1434747101ND
2017-02-1434748701ND
2017-03-2834748501ND
2017-05-1535616901ND
2017-05-2235301001ND
2017-07-0536444601ND
2017-07-1936446501ND
2017-07-1936446601ND
2017-07-2536446701ND
2017-08-0836843501ND
2017-08-1436845301ND
2017-08-1436845701ND
2017-08-1436845501ND
2017-11-2737760301ND
2018-01-1838399801ND
2018-01-2438403401ND
2018-02-0638699601ND
2018-02-0638703201ND
2018-02-0838702701ND
2018-02-2238696501ND
2018-04-1839251601ND
2018-05-2140105301ND
2018-07-0240414701ND
2018-07-1040416901ND
2018-07-1240416601ND
2018-07-1240416801ND
2018-08-0740724701ND
2018-08-0740723201ND
2018-08-1540724501ND
2018-09-2440724901ND
2018-11-0842049501ND
2019-01-3042613201ND
2019-02-1943027901ND
2019-04-0243674701ND
2019-07-0145169301ND
2019-07-2345170401ND
2019-07-2945170501ND
2019-08-1245887601ND
2019-08-1245886501ND
2019-08-1445887701ND
2019-12-1648097201ND