STORY AT-A-GLANCE
According to a 2024 study, detecting any nitrate in drinking water is linked to a 73% increased risk of cancer mortality, with risk climbing 69% for each 10-fold concentration increase
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a new evaluation of nitrate risks in June 2023, 15 years after their scientists first suggested it, while facing strong opposition from food and agriculture industry groups
Research shows increased cancer risks persist even at nitrate levels below current EPA safety limits, which were established over 30 years ago primarily to prevent blue baby syndrome
A comprehensive review of 60 research papers revealed that for every 10 mg/L increase in nitrate concentration in drinking water, the risk of developing gastric cancer nearly doubled
Protective measures include installing reverse osmosis filters, regular water testing, supporting sustainable agriculture and advocating for stricter drinking water regulations to address this growing public health concern
A March 2024 study published in Public Health delivered sobering news: detecting nitrate in your drinking water is associated with a 73% increased risk of cancer mortality.1 Further, for every 10-fold increase in drinking water nitrate levels, your risk of dying from cancer climbs by a staggering 69%.
Even more alarming, these increased risks persist even when nitrate levels are below the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) safety limits. These findings paint a concerning picture of a widespread yet often overlooked danger lurking in our water supplies.
For decades, the EPA has maintained a legal limit for nitrates in drinking water, primarily to prevent blue baby syndrome — a serious condition in infants where blood oxygen levels plummet, most commonly due to nitrates in drinking water or formula.
However, as reported by investigative journalist Natasha Gilbert in a U.S. Right to Know article, co-published with Sierra, this limit was established over 30 years ago and doesn’t safeguard against cancer and other long-term health issues.2
Scientists and public health advocates are now urging the EPA to reconsider these outdated standards, pointing to mounting evidence and rising cancer rates in agricultural regions where nitrate contamination is rampant.
EPA's Cancer Risk Reassessment Exposed
Gilbert’s detailed report3 unpacks the EPA's renewed evaluation of nitrate and nitrite risks, initiated in June 2023, which specifically aims to explore connections to cancer and other health issues such as thyroid disease. It highlights that, remarkably, it was 15 years prior that EPA scientists first suggested this very evaluation, signaling a long-standing concern within the agency itself.
The article quotes Kimberly Harris, a former health effects specialist at the EPA, who in a 2017 email stated her office had been "advocating for updates to the nitrate/nitrate drinking water regulations for some time," further emphasizing the internal drive for regulatory reform. However, this push for updated regulations has faced significant roadblocks and now faces potential derailment.4
Industry groups, particularly from the food and agriculture sectors, are actively pushing back against stricter nitrate controls. Their primary argument centers around the claim that tightening regulations would be excessively expensive and deliver no tangible health benefits.5 These groups have even gone so far as to commission studies that attempt to minimize the necessity for more stringent nitrate limits.
Elizabeth Southerland, former director of the EPA’s Office of Science and Technology, aptly notes in the article that “The objective is to paralyze so that you cannot move forward until you have many more years of study,” highlighting this as a common industry tactic to stall regulatory action.6
Meanwhile, the industry points to the supposed health benefits of nitrates found in foods like fruits and vegetables. However, independent scientists are quick to counter this argument, stressing that nitrates in drinking water pose a distinct and more direct health risk.
Catherine Zeman, an environmental health scientist at James Madison University in Virginia, clarifies in the article that "drinking water is just a straight shot of nitrate, nothing in opposition," unlike vegetables that contain protective compounds.7 This distinction underscores the need to treat nitrates from different sources separately in risk assessments.8
According to Gilbert, industry groups are even promoting research funded by entities like PepsiCo that suggests the current acceptable daily intake of nitrates is too low and could be quadrupled, a claim contested by experts like Zeman who labels it as being based on a “blatant untruth.”9
Despite industry resistance, the EPA’s nitrate reassessment is a necessary action to determine if current drinking water standards are genuinely protecting public health, especially in light of emerging research linking nitrate exposure to increased cancer risks.10
As Michael Schmidt, staff attorney for the Iowa Environmental Council, states in the article,11 "We have endured drinking water contamination for decades, and action to ensure our health is overdue.”
Study Establishes Direct Link Between Nitrate and Cancer Death
The Public Health study cited earlier investigated whether long-term exposure to nitrate in drinking water elevates the risk of death from cancer, cardiovascular disease and other causes.12 To accomplish this, scientists used data from 2,029 participants in a national health survey conducted between 2005 and 2006, tracking their health outcomes for 13.9 years.
Nitrate was detected in over half of the drinking water samples analyzed from the participants.13 While the median nitrate concentration was relatively low, just 0.77 milligrams per liter (mg/L), some samples contained as much as 80.5 mg/L.14 Disturbingly, even seemingly low levels showed a significant correlation with increased cancer deaths.15 As mentioned, the detection of any nitrate in drinking water was associated with a 73% higher risk of dying from cancer.16
As the EPA reviews these critical nitrate limits, the weight of the evidence increasingly leans towards a need for updated regulations that prioritize public health over industry interests. The potential health risks associated with nitrate exposure cannot be overstated, and it is imperative that stringent standards are put in place to safeguard communities. Only through comprehensive assessment and responsible policy-making can we ensure that drinking water remains a safe resource for all.
