Nitrite in drinking water
From fertilizer and sewage.
Health: Dangerous for infants.
Across the US
26 community water systems had at least one health-based Nitrite violation since 2016. Routine Nitrite sample results are reported to states, not to EPA's national database, so this page ranks systems by violations rather than levels.
Most violations
| Water system | People | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| Chrisman Water System | 1,273 | 9 |
| Knierim Water Supply | 53 | 8 |
| Keystone Water Supply | 599 | 3 |
| Garden City Water System | 33 | 3 |
| Wheatland City Water Supply | 775 | 2 |
| Woodland Water System | 319 | 2 |
| Riverhead Water District | 35,000 | 1 |
| City of Keene | 6,863 | 1 |
| North Hunt Special Utility District | 4,836 | 1 |
| Coal Valley Water System | 3,873 | 1 |
| Callahan County Water Supply Corporation | 3,741 | 1 |
| Danese Public Service District | 2,294 | 1 |
| City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management | 1,692 | 1 |
| Slater Municipal Water Dept | 1,548 | 1 |
| Aplington Water Supply | 1,126 | 1 |
| Newhall Water Supply | 881 | 1 |
| Blairstown Water Supply | 738 | 1 |
| Schaller Water Supply | 729 | 1 |
| Pomeroy Water Supply | 671 | 1 |
| Lawler Water Supply | 406 | 1 |
| Ryan Water Supply | 350 | 1 |
| Sheldahl Water Supply | 307 | 1 |
| Crystal Lake Water Supply | 255 | 1 |
| Spin Lake Homeowners Association, Inc. | 200 | 1 |
| Jamaica Water Supply | 195 | 1 |
States with the most systems with violations
- Iowa: 15
- Illinois: 5
- Texas: 3
- South Dakota: 1
- New York: 1
- West Virginia: 1
Sources
The limits, health goals and health effects on this page come from these EPA sources. The results come from EPA's monitoring data for each water system.
- EPA: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (limits and health effects table)
- EPA ECHO: Safe Drinking Water Information System data
This page summarizes public regulatory information. It is not medical advice. How we source and check this site.
Questions
What is the safe level of Nitrite in drinking water?
The federal legal limit (MCL) is 1 ppm. EPA's health goal (MCLG), the level with no known risk, is 1 ppm.
How do I remove Nitrite from tap water?
See the filter guidance on this page: look for a product certified for Nitrite specifically, and check the claim in NSF's certified product listings.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.