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CONTAMINANT

Nitrite

FOUND

STATES DETECTED

43

serves

33 million

utilities detected

1,912

STATES DETECTED

2

serves

1,847

utilities detected

3

Overview

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.

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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

National Standard Exists

Health Concerns:

  • Cancer

  • Harm to child development

Want to remove
Nitrite from your water?

Try these filter technologies:

Reverse Osmosis, 

Ion Exchange, 

understand filter technology

Nitrite around the Country

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State Utilities People Served
Florida2818,485,774
Texas2574,476,638
California992,506,465
Massachusetts652,429,961
Virginia242,341,611
Missouri121,747,046
New York871,151,867
Iowa1771,074,060
New Jersey12964,004
Oregon32935,743
Kentucky10827,832
Oklahoma9774,011
Connecticut47631,431
Mississippi118606,494
Ohio122582,687
Wisconsin61519,691
Illinois214494,889
Alabama15479,525
Indiana15385,766
Colorado18337,898
Pennsylvania35255,880
Arizona5248,183
Georgia22227,556
West Virginia67175,735
Delaware22175,623
Michigan12137,539
South Carolina4126,876
North Dakota679,087
Montana669,178
Rhode Island556,742
Minnesota849,658
Nevada1240,080
District Of Columbia235,002
Washington820,904
North Carolina917,737
Arkansas13,655
Tennessee13,328
Idaho3789
Wyoming4442
Maryland2345
New Mexico1150
Maine1105
South Dakota150

Utilities with the highest amounts of nitrite, 2021-2023

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
Utility Location Tests Average level People served
Sun Valley Farms Unit ViSan Tan Valley, AZ1 of 21.55 ppm600
Wickham VillageWarwick, NY1 of 11.52 ppm1,147
Pine Island Water CompanyWarwick, NY1 of 11.16 ppm100
Eurich HeightsWarwick, NY1 of 10.962 ppm130
Westside Greenwood Lake Water DistrictWarwick, NY1 of 10.910 ppm1,700
Wells Water DistrictWells, NY1 of 10.870 ppm450
City Of 10,000 BuddhasTalmage, CA1 of 10.810 ppm200
Lander County Sewer and Water District 2 AustinBattle Mountain, NV1 of 50.800 ppm350
Bellvale Park Water DistrictWarwick, NY1 of 10.783 ppm100
ChrismanChrisman, IL9 of 100.781 ppm1,200
Croppers 1st 4th and 5th AdditionMilan, IL19 of 260.700 ppm435
City of Commerce*Commerce, TX12 of 130.683 ppm8,240
CiscoCisco, IL80 of 810.658 ppm300
Tuscumbia Water Works*Tuscumbia, AL1 of 40.630 ppm14,400
Aspen Hollow Homeowners AssociationSun Valley, ID1 of 10.620 ppm75
North Hunt Special Utility DistrictCommerce, TX23 of 260.578 ppm4,509
Singing Meadows SubdivisionAustin, TX7 of 100.540 ppm120
FondaFonda, NY1 of 10.526 ppm1,080
WapellaWapella, IL3 of 30.520 ppm670
Tyler County Psd*New Martinsville, WV2 of 20.502 ppm2,146
Kern Valley State PrisonDelano, CA25 of 600.496 ppm5,000
Shady Grove Water Supply CorporationGreenville, TX1 of 10.492 ppm2,703
Mariah ApartmentsLoomis, CA1 of 10.490 ppm52
Ringold Domestic Water CorpQuincy, WA1 of 10.463 ppm340
Sky Line Village Mobile Home ParkMartinsburg, WV1 of 20.460 ppm120
Grandview - Doolin PsdNew Martinsville, WV1 of 10.450 ppm1,942
WestbrookWestbrook, MN15 of 170.440 ppm785
Spin Lake Homeowners Association Inc.Danvers, IL18 of 340.433 ppm200
Ellis County FWSD 1Dallas, TX1 of 10.410 ppm702
City of Grand Prairie*Grand Prairie, TX1 of 10.410 ppm187,050
Stone Ridge Water CompanyLakeside, MT1 of 30.407 ppm50
Pleasant City, Village ofPleasant City, OH10 of 120.388 ppm447
Sistersville Municipal WaterNew Martinsville, WV1 of 10.380 ppm1,892
Del Oro Water Company - Metropolitan DistrictChico, CA1 of 10.380 ppm92
Bear Springs Trails SubdivisionPipe Creek, TX1 of 10.380 ppm111
StandardStandard, IL7 of 70.380 ppm203
Del Oro WC - Black Butte DistrictChico, CA1 of 10.350 ppm281
Lake Worth Utilities*Lake Worth Beach, FL117 of 1520.343 ppm48,000
Hypoluxo VillageLake Clarke Shores, FL117 of 1520.343 ppm1,645
Mason Co. Psd-letartPoint Pleasant, WV1 of 10.340 ppm3,182
DanversDanvers, IL1 of 10.340 ppm1,183
Whispering Pines Mobile Home ParkYuba City, CA1 of 10.340 ppm25
Rra Arrowhead Lake LotsWichita Falls, TX1 of 10.340 ppm1,770
Pinewood WaterCrystal River, FL1 of 30.333 ppm100
Maple Lane AssociatesWellington, NY1 of 30.333 ppm147
Tuscola-taylor County Water Control and Improvement District 1Tuscola, TX1 of 10.331 ppm745
Hollands Quarter Water Supply CorporationCarthage, TX1 of 10.328 ppm1,398
Kaufman County FWSD 4bDallas, TX1 of 10.323 ppm177
St. AugustineMonmouth, IL10 of 120.323 ppm120
City of GroesbeckGroesbeck, TX1 of 10.318 ppm4,470

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Nitrite, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Tuscumbia Water Works*Tuscumbia, AL1 of 40.630 ppm14,400
City of Grand Prairie*Grand Prairie, TX1 of 10.410 ppm187,050
Lake Worth Utilities*Lake Worth Beach, FL117 of 1520.343 ppm48,000
Linda County Water DistrictMarysville, CA6 of 60.302 ppm21,654
Bethesda WSCBurleson, TX10 of 150.264 ppm31,971
Pell City Water WorksPell City, AL2 of 30.227 ppm15,402
City of CarrolltonCarrollton, TX1 of 10.224 ppm136,170
Lantana Water Treatment PlantLantana, FL3 of 30.223 ppm11,558
Mustang SUDAubrey, TX1 of 20.206 ppm82,605
Naval Station Washington - WNYWashington Navy Yard, DC3 of 30.200 ppm15,690
Bridgestone MUDHouston, TX1 of 10.190 ppm24,528
El Monte Water DepartmentEl Monte, CA5 of 310.185 ppm22,968
Joint Base Anacostia - BollingWashington, DC1 of 20.182 ppm19,312
North Austin Municipal Utility District 1Austin, TX1 of 10.180 ppm11,133
Bessemer Water Service*Bessemer, AL1 of 30.170 ppm86,091
City of Seabrook*Seabrook, TX4 of 120.160 ppm13,560
Rathbun Reg Water Association (Ft. Madison)*Centerville, IA7 of 150.151 ppm11,840
Ravenna City PWSRavenna, OH1 of 30.146 ppm16,000
Sheppard Air Force BaseSheppard Afb, TX1 of 10.140 ppm19,500
St. Augustine WTP*St. Augustine, FL1 of 30.140 ppm41,874
City of BurkburnettBurkburnett, TX1 of 10.140 ppm10,978
City of Wichita Falls*Wichita Falls, TX1 of 10.140 ppm102,316
Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District 58Houston, TX1 of 30.137 ppm10,533
City of EulessEuless, TX1 of 40.131 ppm61,543
Carbondale*Carbondale, IL1 of 10.130 ppm22,107
Morton*Morton, IL1 of 30.127 ppm17,111
Eastern Goochland Central Water System*Goochland, VA1 of 10.120 ppm19,500
Henrico County Water System*Henrico, VA1 of 10.120 ppm292,000
City of Beaumont Water Utility Department*Beaumont, TX1 of 20.110 ppm115,282
Orleans Water DepartmentOrleans, MA15 of 260.0973 ppm17,670
City of Troy Public Utilities*Troy, NY1 of 20.0950 ppm117,581
East Greenbush General WDEast Greenbush, NY1 of 20.0950 ppm10,200
College Mound Special Utility DistrictTerrell, TX2 of 20.0909 ppm13,200
N.S. MayportMayport, FL1 of 30.0900 ppm20,500
City of DeSotoDesoto, TX4 of 120.0891 ppm54,060
Riverhead WD*Riverhead, NY2 of 20.0875 ppm35,000
Acton MUD*Granbury, TX5 of 140.0859 ppm21,078
Indianola Water Supply*Indianola, IA3 of 80.0838 ppm15,833
Ames Water Treatment Plant*Ames, IA35 of 350.0824 ppm55,177
ISUAmes, IA3 of 30.0800 ppm36,822
Tri SUDMount Pleasant, TX1 of 10.0757 ppm17,421
Mahwah Water DepartmentMahwah, NJ4 of 110.0755 ppm26,777
City of Oakland ParkOakland Park, FL2 of 60.0745 ppm27,984
City of Wilton ManorsWilton Manors, FL2 of 60.0745 ppm12,531
City of Fort Lauderdale*Ft Lauderdale, FL2 of 60.0745 ppm182,245
City of Royse CityRoyse City, TX1 of 10.0731 ppm16,400
Carroll Municipal Water SupplyCarroll, IA9 of 240.0708 ppm10,321
Burlington Water DepartmentBurlington, MA6 of 190.0674 ppm25,392
Bonita Springs Utilities*Bonita Springs, FL3 of 30.0667 ppm74,270
Jacksonville Beach WTPJacksonville, FL2 of 60.0667 ppm23,352

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Nitrite, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

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