Testing for Nitrate and Nitrite levels in tap, ground, and drinking water is important to administer on any new water system and on an ongoing basis to ensure healthy levels.
Nitrates and Nitrites can be found in any water but these items put you at a higher risk of a nitrate problem:
1) Drinking from an untested personal well
2) Water systems near livestock or fertilizer
3) Pregnancy
4) Infancy
5) Eating root plants high in untested fertilizers.
I just tested the tap water near Lincoln Blvd in Marina del Rey California for Nitrate levels. The test is very inexpensive (less than $5) and only takes a few minutes to administer. This area of Los Angeles is on a community water system that is current managed by DWP. Their reports show low Nitrate levels in the water from 2008 but they have not published any recent statistics on the nitrate levels in the community water.
This test was performed by a kit from “silver lake research” (888-438-1942) and does not certify water as safe or unsafe for drinking. The strip is in the water for 2 seconds and then you can take the reading from 1 – 2 minutes for an accurate result.
Nitrate Nitrite Drinking Water Testing
I believe the levels from the test today 2/23/2010 show:
- 0.7 ppm total Nitrate/Nitrite
- 0.16 ppm Nitrite
This company also states the EPA maximum contaminant levels or guidelines standards are:
- Total Nitrate/Nitrite: Below 10.0 ppm
- Nirtite: Below 1.0 ppm
Would I drink this water? Given this low level of nitrates this water and the fact that I have tested the water for many other things I would drink it however I do suggest lowering the nitrate level if possible by reverse osmosis. I do not believe a carbon filter alone would help reduce these nitrate levels.
The EPA seems to be the best source of information right now for Nitrates and drinking water:
http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/contaminants/basicinformation/nitrate.html
The EPA suggest getting more information about your drinking water and I do as well. Ask your utility company and test your own water. Ask your farmers how they test for nitrates.
“Contact your water utility. EPA requires all community water systems to prepare and deliver an annual consumer confidence report (CCR) (sometimes called a water quality report) for their customers by July 1 of each year. If your water provider is not a community water system, or if you have a private water supply, request a copy from a nearby community water system.”
Nitrate [dot] com has some well organized information on Nitrates and why they are harmful:
“What is Nitrate? Nitrate has the chemical formula NO3- ”
“When Nitrate is taken in by eating food and drinking water, Nitrate is converted in the gut to nitrite, which then combines with hemoglobin to form methemoglobin, thus decreasing the ability of the blood to carry oxygen.”
Washington State and EPA Nitrate Levels:
http://www.bfhd.wa.gov/info/nitrate-nitrite.php
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of nitrate as nitrogen (NO3-N) at 10 mg/L (or 10 parts per million) for the safety of drinking water. Nitrate levels at or above this level have been known to cause a potentially fatal blood disorder in infants under six months of age called methemoglobinemia or “blue-baby” syndrome; in which there is a reduction in the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.”
CDC and Nitrates:
The CDC is helping to educate people about the risks of Nitrates when introduced to infants, pregnant women, and the general public.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/nitrate/no3whosat_risk.html
“About 1% to 2% of the U.S. population that uses drinking water from public water systems might be exposed to nitrates in excess of the EPA‑recommended maximum concentration.”
The CDC also mentions this about pregnant women and Nitrates:
“The pregnant woman and her fetus represent another high-risk group. Reproductive outcome studies done at sites with high nitrate levels in the water supply provide some evidence of maternal transfer of nitrate and nitrite. The pregnant woman and her fetus might be more sensitive to toxicity from nitrites or nitrates at or near the 30th week of pregnancy.”