How Much Nitrate Is Allowed In Drinking Water?
The federal and state governments have set standards for drinking water. These standards, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), define levels of certain chemicals that are allowed in the drinking water and are not expected to cause any harmful health effects to humans. The standards for nitrate and nitrite have been set at levels that should not cause methemoglobinemia in infants. What Do Well Water Test Results Mean? If you decide to have your water tested, the results could be confusing because they can be presented in several different ways. The level of nitrate or nitrite in water can be reported in two different units of measurement: milligrams of nitrate per liter of water (mg/L) or parts of nitrate per million parts of water (ppm). Nitrate can also be reported as “nitrate as nitrogen” and nitrite can be reported “nitrite as nitrogen.” Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) Reporting Method Nitrate Nitrite Reporting Method Maximum contaminant level (MCL) Nitrate Nitrite mg/L 45 3.3
