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.
2010-2015:
11
states detected
107
utilities detected
8.9 million
people served
6
states over health guideline
8
utilities over health guideline
185,000
people served over health guideline
Health concerns for tritium
Cancer
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
Health Guideline 400 pCi/L
The 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 | 1 | 64 | 55 | 4,487,511 | |||
| Virginia | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2,019,550 | |||
| Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | 11 | 870,791 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 2 | 44,054 | 11 | 823,327 | |||
| Delaware | 1 | 97,310 | 4 | 506,711 | |||
| New Mexico | 0 | 0 | 5 | 88,090 | |||
| Connecticut | 1 | 33,197 | 4 | 38,828 | |||
| Illinois | 2 | 6,472 | 2 | 6,472 | |||
| Louisiana | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5,529 | |||
| Maryland | 1 | 3,500 | 1 | 3,500 | |||
| Texas | 0 | 0 | 1 | 120 | |||
Utilities with the highest amounts of tritium, 2010-2015
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington* | Wilmington, IL | 156 of 301 | 583.65 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 |
| CTWC - Shoreline Region-Guilford System | Guilford, CT | 1 of 1 | 411.00 pCi/L | 33,197 |
| United Water Delaware* | Wilmington, DE | 1 of 1 | 411.00 pCi/L | 97,310 |
| College Township Water Authority | State College, PA | 3 of 4 | 355.30 pCi/L | 6,000 |
| La Puente Valley County Water District* | La Puente, CA | 1 of 1 | 355.00 pCi/L | 9,852 |
| Wilmington Water Department* | Wilmington, DE | 1 of 1 | 311.00 pCi/L | 107,976 |
| Milwaukee Waterworks* | Milwaukee, WI | 1 of 1 | 310.00 pCi/L | 647,290 |
| Weston Water Supply | Weston, CT | 1 of 2 | 204.00 pCi/L | 100 |
| 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 |
| Connecticut Water Company - Shoreline Region-chester System | Chester, CT | 1 of 2 | 172.00 pCi/L | 5,030 |
| San Diego County Water Authority* | Escondido, CA | 1 of 9 | 149.44 pCi/L | 0 |
| 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 |
| Waterworks District 7* | Keithville, LA | 2 of 2 | 115.00 pCi/L | 5,400 |
| South Coventry Water Supply Company | Coventry, CT | 1 of 2 | 94.00 pCi/L | 501 |
| Lcra Tow Water System | Austin, TX | 1 of 9 | 72.44 pCi/L | 120 |
| Phoenixville Water Dept* | Phoenixville, PA | 1 of 4 | 68.70 pCi/L | 16,438 |
| Aqua Pa Mifflin Township | Shamokin, PA | 1 of 2 | 65.45 pCi/L | 1,220 |
| Golden State WC - Placentia | Anaheim, CA | 1 of 5 | 54.80 pCi/L | 36,374 |
| Buckman Regional Water Treatment Plant* | Santa Fe, NM | 2 of 4 | 41.75 pCi/L | 0 |
| Calleguas Municipal Water District* | Thousand Oaks, CA | 3 of 68 | 22.04 pCi/L | 0 |
| Fairfax County Water Authority* | Merrifield, VA | 1 of 8 | 15.75 pCi/L | 1,054,000 |
| Midland Borough Municipal Authority* | Midland, PA | 1 of 2 | 4.42 pCi/L | 3,275 |
* 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State Univ.* | University Park, PA | 4 of 6 | 569.15 pCi/L | 37,000 |
| United Water Delaware* | Wilmington, DE | 1 of 1 | 411.00 pCi/L | 97,310 |
| CTWC - Shoreline Region-Guilford System | Guilford, CT | 1 of 1 | 411.00 pCi/L | 33,197 |
| Wilmington Water Department* | Wilmington, DE | 1 of 1 | 311.00 pCi/L | 107,976 |
| Milwaukee Waterworks* | Milwaukee, WI | 1 of 1 | 310.00 pCi/L | 647,290 |
| 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 |
| Phoenixville Water Dept* | Phoenixville, PA | 1 of 4 | 68.70 pCi/L | 16,438 |
| Golden State WC - Placentia | Anaheim, CA | 1 of 5 | 54.80 pCi/L | 36,374 |
| Fairfax County Water Authority* | Merrifield, VA | 1 of 8 | 15.75 pCi/L | 1,054,000 |
* 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.