Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Nitrate and nitrite

Status: National drinking water standard exists

 

Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.

2017-2019:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

49

states detected

16,702

utilities detected

153 million

people served

48

states over health guideline

13,033

utilities over health guideline

124 million

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for nitrate and nitrite

Cancer

Harm to fetal growth and child development

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm

The health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 10 ppm

ppm = parts per million

States reporting nitrate and nitrite in drinking water

UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served UtilitiesPeople Served
California1,08428,559,1341,13230,884,469
New York4033,640,33547413,981,885
Illinois7308,650,6088997,791,025
Georgia5386,752,9436207,653,213
Virginia5694,958,9677286,491,321
Ohio4215,773,8845146,144,877
New Jersey2135,740,3832316,072,115
Texas5594,263,9221,0895,619,729
Alabama3424,582,6873995,212,871
Missouri5433,836,6581,0385,082,590
Louisiana1551,635,2446664,356,497
Maryland1154,343,1491174,343,440
Colorado2191,231,9893234,176,445
Wisconsin5473,212,7936863,571,804
Oklahoma6543,151,6727343,378,880
Indiana1852,987,7352283,304,272
Washington8343,159,0098883,263,465
Arizona2293,102,5732363,130,570
Oregon2491,478,5513152,822,353
Nevada1532,790,2471622,792,020
Connecticut3632,014,9214772,695,312
Kentucky692,155,454712,084,950
Arkansas2761,463,9924081,915,353
New Mexico3551,681,3974211,758,546
Nebraska5151,520,6925431,547,807
Utah641,343,787671,465,370
Hawaii801,445,255811,445,362
West Virginia3191,239,6603221,276,035
Mississippi153654,789238966,851
Delaware102865,484109882,778
Montana540558,524689718,202
Idaho369627,621386653,770
District Of Columbia4664,5723648,882
North Dakota84363,820205631,069
Tennessee11585,88514592,131
South Carolina44128,28468539,944
North Carolina241293,014255461,461
Rhode Island59436,86164448,850
Alaska189383,079230437,519
Wyoming189342,322249435,560
Florida15127,00019390,420
Maine152151,500194252,245
Pennsylvania16287,8399245,744
Kansas20248,08815242,581
New Hampshire5163,3197671,909
Michigan437,115336,843
Iowa24,60813,785
Minnesota13,29513,295
Vermont42,91142,911
South Dakota001450
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce nitrate and nitrite

reverse osmosis icon

Reverse Osmosis

ion exchange icon

Ion Exchange

Utilities with the highest amounts of nitrate and nitrite, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
River Rd. Ws #25Gonzales, CA1 of 139.6 ppm65
Vineyard Ave. Estates Mutual Water CompanyOxnard, CA1 of 136.0 ppm1,200
Eola Water Supply CorporationEola, TX8 of 833.4 ppm165
Valley View RanchesGilroy, CA1 of 125.0 ppm45
El Camino Water Company Inc.Spreckels, CA1 of 124.3 ppm90
City of WeinertWeinert, TX7 of 723.5 ppm162
Sierra Mutual Water CompanyPorterville, CA2 of 219.5 ppm39
M & J Trailer Home CommunitySandy, UT1 of 118.5 ppm27
Lake Success Mobile LodgePorterville, CA2 of 218.2 ppm40
Thunderbird Farms Domestic Water Improvement DistrictMaricopa, AZ1 of 117.0 ppm1,600
Wheeler Municipal Water SystemWheeler, TX7 of 716.9 ppm1,651
San Miguel Ws #01Royal Oaks, CA3 of 316.6 ppm100
Coxville Water Association #1Benton City, WA1 of 116.5 ppm52
Delta Water AssociationLynden, WA2 of 216.4 ppm450
Turkey Municipal Water System*Turkey, TX7 of 716.2 ppm421
Okarche Rural Water District Inc.Okarche, OK24 of 2415.8 ppm250
Greenwood Terrace Mobile Home SubdivisionLas Cruces, TX8 of 815.8 ppm120
Santa MonicaSanta Monica, CA2 of 215.5 ppm92,185
Lemon Cove Water CompanyLemon Cove, CA2 of 215.2 ppm200
Franklin Water Systems 3Southlake, TX20 of 2015.2 ppm159
South Midland County Water SystemsKingsland, TX7 of 715.0 ppm165
Rra Hinds Wildcat Water SystemWichita Falls, TX8 of 814.9 ppm178
Northside Water Supply CorporationVernon, TX8 of 814.9 ppm200
Soults Mutual Water CompanyTulare, CA1 of 114.8 ppm120
Grassland Water Supply CorporationTahoka, TX8 of 814.5 ppm55
Klondike Independent School DistrictLamesa, TX7 of 714.5 ppm264
Rra Guthrie Dumont Water SystemWichita Falls, TX6 of 614.4 ppm402
Diomede Joint UtilitiesLittle Diomede, AK4 of 414.4 ppm184
Canadian County Rural Water District # 1Calumet, OK24 of 2414.3 ppm750
Whitharral Water Supply CorporationWhitharral, TX7 of 714.0 ppm200
Beverly Grand Mutual WaterArroyo Grande, CA1 of 114.0 ppm108
Baldy Mountain RanchMountain Center, CA1 of 114.0 ppm60
City of DodsonDodson, TX8 of 814.0 ppm109
Monterey Park Tract Community Services DistrictCeres, CA1 of 113.8 ppm186
Sherwood Estates Manufactured Townhome CMidland, TX9 of 913.7 ppm102
Morro Bay PW Department - Water DivisionMorro Bay, CA16 of 1613.7 ppm10,327
OkarcheOkarche, OK24 of 2413.6 ppm1,110
Villa Grande Domestic Water Improvement DistrictEloy, AZ24 of 2413.5 ppm283
City of QuitaqueQuitaque, TX7 of 713.2 ppm423
City of Byers*Byers, TX8 of 813.1 ppm496
Higuera ApartmentsSan Luis Obispo, CA1 of 113.0 ppm30
Lakewood Estates Water CompanyTucson, AZ1 of 113.0 ppm807
Lake Morena Oak Shores Mw CompanyCampo, CA5 of 512.7 ppm700
Eaton, Town ofEaton, CO1 of 112.5 ppm6,000
Homestead Water CompanyMoriarty, NM43 of 4312.1 ppm200
Grandfield*Grandfield, OK48 of 4812.1 ppm1,110
DevolDevol, OK48 of 4812.1 ppm150
Cotton County Rural Water District # 1Randlett, OK48 of 4812.1 ppm600
Lsid - TonyvilleLindsay, CA1 of 112.0 ppm500
Lsid-strathmore SystemLindsay, CA1 of 112.0 ppm500

* 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 Nitrate and nitrite, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Santa MonicaSanta Monica, CA2 of 215.5 ppm92,185
Morro Bay PW Department - Water DivisionMorro Bay, CA16 of 1613.7 ppm10,327
City of Corona*Corona, CA8 of 910.5 ppm155,896
San Fernando Water DepartmentSan Fernando, CA9 of 99.66 ppm23,839
Crescenta Valley CWDLa Crescenta, CA58 of 589.21 ppm32,000
Chelan County PUD 1Wenatchee, WA1 of 19.17 ppm14,189
Linda County Water DistrictMarysville, CA1 of 68.33 ppm13,800
City of Vernon*Vernon, TX8 of 87.88 ppm11,002
City of MantecaManteca, CA8 of 87.76 ppm66,451
City of Hastings*Hastings, NE319 of 3197.68 ppm25,224
Enid*Enid, OK12 of 127.66 ppm49,347
Johnson UtilitiesSan Tan Valley, AZ52 of 527.53 ppm62,158
Goodyear Water Department*Goodyear, AZ18 of 187.45 ppm50,001
Florence Water CompanyFlorence, AZ16 of 167.25 ppm15,900
Grover Beach Water DepartmentGrover Beach, CA4 of 47.13 ppm13,156
Plover WaterworksPlover, WI6 of 67.00 ppm12,420
Vineland Water & Sewer UtilityVineland, NJ1 of 16.80 ppm36,250
City of AlhambraAlhambra, CA10 of 106.57 ppm84,679
Aqua Illinois-Vermilion County*Kankakee, IL2 of 26.55 ppm38,000
Elk CityElk City, OK6 of 66.50 ppm10,510
City of Scottsbluff*Scottsbluff, NE103 of 1036.45 ppm15,030
Decatur*Decatur, IL2 of 26.30 ppm76,122
Arizona Water Company - Pinal Valley*Phoenix, AZ81 of 816.29 ppm88,019
City of WoodlandWoodland, CA4 of 46.25 ppm56,464
Cal/Am Water Company - San MarinoRosemead, CA55 of 556.21 ppm40,804
Haralson County Water Auth.*Buchanan, GA24 of 306.19 ppm12,220
Liberty Water Lpsco*Avondale, AZ85 of 856.17 ppm50,045
Security Waster DistrictColorado Springs, CO13 of 136.14 ppm19,000
City of CorcoranCorcoran, CA1 of 26.00 ppm24,813
City of GilroyGilroy, CA17 of 175.96 ppm39,050
WeatherfordWeatherford, OK16 of 165.92 ppm10,833
Rehoboth Beach Water Department*Rehoboth Beach, DE265 of 2655.87 ppm30,000
Arizona Water Company - White TanksPhoenix, AZ13 of 135.81 ppm10,186
City of LindsayLindsay, CA2 of 25.80 ppm13,445
Monrovia Water DepartmentMonrovia, CA14 of 145.73 ppm36,590
Janesville Water UtilityJanesville, WI8 of 85.72 ppm62,720
City of CeresCeres, CA11 of 115.62 ppm42,666
City of GrandviewGrandview, WA481 of 5395.57 ppm11,010
Espanola Water System*Espanola, NM41 of 415.46 ppm12,012
South Adams County Water and Sanitation DistrictCommerce City, CO296 of 2965.38 ppm63,808
Glen Cove CityGlen Cove, NY121 of 1225.35 ppm28,000
City of Newman Water DepartmentNewman, CA1 of 15.35 ppm10,586
City of SalisburySalisbury, MD5 of 55.35 ppm30,343
City of Mountain ViewMountain View, CA5 of 55.34 ppm76,000
Mattoon*Mattoon, IL2 of 25.25 ppm19,000
Hicksville WDHicksville, NY718 of 7235.22 ppm48,000
Glendale Water DepartmentGlendale, CA3 of 35.20 ppm195,799
City of Los BanosLos Banos, CA12 of 125.17 ppm37,168
City of Riverside*Riverside, CA22 of 225.15 ppm303,871
Town of Queen CreekQueen Creek, AZ24 of 245.14 ppm81,919

* 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 Nitrate and nitrite, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.