Tritium

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

Tritium is a radioactive element emitted from nuclear reactors and weapons production plants. Radiation from tritium and other radioactive substances increases the risk of cancer. Click here to read more on radiological contaminants.

2012-2017:

FOUND

FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

states detected

180

utilities detected

16 million

people served

states over health guideline

utilities over health guideline

62,786

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for tritium

Cancer

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 400 pCi/L

The EWG Health Guideline of 400 pCi/L for tritium was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

pCi/L = picocuries per liter

States reporting tritium in drinking water

	UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES			UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State	Utilities	People Served		Utilities	People Served
California		3	19,314			145	12,212,002
Virginia		0	0			11	1,940,677
Pennsylvania		1	37,000			15	1,744,494
New Mexico		0	0			4	87,690
Illinois		2	6,472			2	6,472
Connecticut		0	0			2	5,130
Texas		0	0			1	120

LESS

Utilities with the highest amounts of tritium, 2012-2017

ALL UTILITIES

LARGE UTILITIES

Utility	Location	Tests	Average level	People served
Woodland-davis Clean Water Agency	Davis, CA	3 of 7	3,611.57 pCi/L	0
City of Oakdale	Oakdale, CA	1 of 1	922.00 pCi/L	19,250
Lakewood Shores Improvement Association	Wilmington, IL	204 of 288	733.57 pCi/L	868
Wilmington*	Wilmington, IL	204 of 288	733.57 pCi/L	5,604
Penn State Univ.*	University Park, PA	4 of 6	569.15 pCi/L	37,000
Liberty Park Water Association	Huntington Beach, CA	2 of 3	434.33 pCi/L	64
Connecticut Water Company - Shoreline Region-chester System	Clinton, CT	1 of 1	344.00 pCi/L	5,030
Foothill Municipal Water District*	La Canada Flintridge, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	0
Golden State Water Company (GSWC) - Culver City	Rancho Cordova, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	36,215
Western Municipal Water District (id A - Rainbow)	Riverside, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	122
East Orange County Water District - Wz*	Orange, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	0
El Toro Water District	Lake Forest, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	48,628
South Coast Water District - South Coast	Laguna Beach, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	1,000,000
Laguna Beach County WD	Laguna Beach, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	50,000
California Water Service Company - Palos Verde	San Jose, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	69,883
Metropolitan Water District of So. Cal.*	Los Angeles, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	0
El Segundo Water Department	El Segundo, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	16,654
Weston Water Supply	Weston, CT	1 of 2	204.00 pCi/L	100
U.s. Coast Guard Training Center	Petaluma, CA	1 of 2	194.50 pCi/L	1,350
City of Petaluma*	Petaluma, CA	1 of 2	194.50 pCi/L	55,900
City of Newport Beach	Newport Beach, CA	3 of 8	188.38 pCi/L	64,465
City of Seal Beach	Seal Beach, CA	1 of 2	147.50 pCi/L	24,157
Irvine Ranch Water District*	Irvine, CA	2 of 14	140.00 pCi/L	370,000
City of Mountain View	Mountain View, CA	1 of 1	133.00 pCi/L	76,000
City of Fountain Valley	Fountain Valley, CA	3 of 14	130.86 pCi/L	56,464
Woodside Rv Park	Fort Bragg, CA	1 of 3	128.33 pCi/L	280
Mesa Water District	Costa Mesa, CA	1 of 4	125.75 pCi/L	108,000
Valley Center MWD*	Valley Center, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	25,450
Ramona Municipal WD	Ramona, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	40,000
Rincon Del Diablo MWD(ID-1)	Escondido, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	24,545
Vallecitos Water District	San Marcos, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	94,871
City of Carlsbad	Carlsbad, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	84,838
Rainbow Municipal WD	Fallbrook, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	19,611
San Diego County Water Authority*	Escondido, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	0
La Puente Valley County Water District*	La Puente, CA	1 of 3	118.33 pCi/L	9,852
Cal American Water Company - Las Posas Estates	Newbury Park, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	1,800
Lake Sherwood Community Services District	Moorpark, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	1,527
Calleguas Municipal Water District*	Thousand Oaks, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	0
Oak Park Water Service	Ventura, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	12,200
Cal American Water Company	Newbury Park, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	61,206
Thousand Oaks Water Department	Thousand Oaks, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	50,000
California Water Service Company - Westlake	San Jose, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	19,451
Ventura County Waterworks District No. 17 - Bell Canyon	Moorpark, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	2,049
Solano Verde Mutual Water Company	Camarillo, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	100
Phoenixville Water Dept*	Phoenixville, PA	1 of 3	91.60 pCi/L	16,438
Pa American Phoenixville	Spring City, PA	1 of 3	91.60 pCi/L	1,930
City of Davis*	Davis, CA	2 of 4	78.25 pCi/L	67,298
City of Alexandria	Alexandria, VA	4 of 8	67.41 pCi/L	146,970
Arlington County - Willston Area	Arlington, VA	4 of 8	67.41 pCi/L	1,352
Herndon	Herndon, VA	4 of 8	67.41 pCi/L	23,612

* 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 Tritium, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

Utility	Location	Tests	Average level	People served
City of Oakdale	Oakdale, CA	1 of 1	922.00 pCi/L	19,250
Penn State Univ.*	University Park, PA	4 of 6	569.15 pCi/L	37,000
El Segundo Water Department	El Segundo, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	16,654
California Water Service Company - Palos Verde	San Jose, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	69,883
Laguna Beach County WD	Laguna Beach, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	50,000
South Coast Water District - South Coast	Laguna Beach, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	1,000,000
El Toro Water District	Lake Forest, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	48,628
Golden State Water Company (GSWC) - Culver City	Rancho Cordova, CA	7 of 19	296.11 pCi/L	36,215
City of Petaluma*	Petaluma, CA	1 of 2	194.50 pCi/L	55,900
City of Newport Beach	Newport Beach, CA	3 of 8	188.38 pCi/L	64,465
City of Seal Beach	Seal Beach, CA	1 of 2	147.50 pCi/L	24,157
Irvine Ranch Water District*	Irvine, CA	2 of 14	140.00 pCi/L	370,000
City of Mountain View	Mountain View, CA	1 of 1	133.00 pCi/L	76,000
City of Fountain Valley	Fountain Valley, CA	3 of 14	130.86 pCi/L	56,464
Mesa Water District	Costa Mesa, CA	1 of 4	125.75 pCi/L	108,000
Rainbow Municipal WD	Fallbrook, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	19,611
Rincon Del Diablo MWD(ID-1)	Escondido, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	24,545
Ramona Municipal WD	Ramona, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	40,000
Valley Center MWD*	Valley Center, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	25,450
Vallecitos Water District	San Marcos, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	94,871
City of Carlsbad	Carlsbad, CA	2 of 13	125.69 pCi/L	84,838
California Water Service Company - Westlake	San Jose, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	19,451
Thousand Oaks Water Department	Thousand Oaks, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	50,000
Cal American Water Company	Newbury Park, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	61,206
Oak Park Water Service	Ventura, CA	14 of 108	96.07 pCi/L	12,200
Phoenixville Water Dept*	Phoenixville, PA	1 of 3	91.60 pCi/L	16,438
City of Davis*	Davis, CA	2 of 4	78.25 pCi/L	67,298
Fairfax County Water Authority*	Fairfax, VA	4 of 8	67.41 pCi/L	1,074,422
Herndon	Herndon, VA	4 of 8	67.41 pCi/L	23,612
Town of Vienna	Vienna, VA	4 of 8	67.41 pCi/L	30,000
East End Service Area - Prince William County Service Authority	Woodbridge, VA	4 of 8	67.41 pCi/L	153,000
Dale City*	Alexandria, VA	4 of 8	67.41 pCi/L	65,969
City of Alexandria	Alexandria, VA	4 of 8	67.41 pCi/L	146,970
Golden State WC - Placentia	Anaheim, CA	1 of 5	54.80 pCi/L	36,374
Western Allegheny County Mun A*	Oakdale, PA	2 of 4	35.63 pCi/L	14,500
Pennsylvania American Water Pittsburgh*	Mcmurray, PA	2 of 4	35.63 pCi/L	507,675
Pennsylvania American Royersford	Spring City, PA	1 of 8	0.37 pCi/L	43,050