Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Nitrite

NJ American Water - Frenchtown

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.

 

18

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND30ND
2015ND30ND
2016ND30ND
2017ND30ND
2018ND30ND
2019ND30ND

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
2014-01-2824535801ND
2014-04-1425422101ND
2014-05-0625422001ND
2015-02-2428075501ND
2015-02-2428076101ND
2015-02-2428076601ND
2016-02-1731344101ND
2016-02-1731343001ND
2016-02-1731343601ND
2017-02-2234754101ND
2017-02-2234753001ND
2017-02-2234753601ND
2018-02-1338711401ND
2018-02-1338710501ND
2018-02-1338711001ND
2019-02-2643034701ND
2019-02-2643034801ND
2019-02-2643034201ND