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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrite

Lca North Whitehall Division

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.

 

39

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND90ND
2015ND90ND
2016ND50ND
2017ND60ND
2018ND70ND
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
2014-02-1214012370-01ND
2014-04-0814032279-01ND
2014-04-0814032278-01ND
2014-04-0814032279-02ND
2014-04-0814032279-03ND
2014-07-0714062815-01ND
2014-07-0714062815-02ND
2014-10-0714092124-02ND
2014-10-0714092124-01ND
2015-03-0912550213ND
2015-03-0912550215ND
2015-04-2712667588ND
2015-04-2712667580ND
2015-04-2712667584ND
2015-06-2412923472ND
2015-07-1313049799ND
2015-07-1313049798ND
2015-12-0713669995ND
2016-02-0913904406ND
2016-04-1114147864ND
2016-04-1114147858ND
2016-04-1114147860ND
2016-04-1114147862ND
2017-04-1015985252ND
2017-04-1015985254ND
2017-04-1015985256ND
2017-04-1015985258ND
2017-07-1816458632ND
2017-11-0816922817ND
2018-01-168010428-01ND
2018-04-048040490-01ND
2018-04-118033807-01ND
2018-04-118033807-02ND
2018-04-118033807-03ND
2018-07-058070983-01ND
2018-10-228103544-01ND
2019-04-029034279-01ND
2019-04-089034283-01ND
2019-04-089034283-02ND