Strontium-90
Cal American Water Company - Las Posas Estates
Strontium is a metal that accumulates in the bones. Radioactive strontium-90 can cause bone cancer and leukemia, and any form of strontium at high doses can harm bone health. Read More.
Strontium-90 has been emitted widely by nuclear power plants, weapons facilities, waste sites and nuclear research facilities. Strontium-90 is structurally similar to calcium and is thus taken up into bones. The chief health concerns from strontium-90 exposure are bone cancer and leukemia.
No federal drinking water standards for strontium-90 exist. California set a legal maximum of 8 picocuries of strontium-90 radioactivity per liter of water. California also has a public health goal of no more than 0.35 picocuries of strontium-90 per liter of drinking water. According to studies by the U.S. Geological Survey, strontium-90 also is a concern for water quality in private wells.
Testing results - average by year
Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | 0.14 pCi/L | 19 | 12 | ND - 0.46 pCi/L |
2015 | 0.29 pCi/L | 19 | 10 | ND - 1.25 pCi/L |
2016 | 0.16 pCi/L | 20 | 12 | ND - 0.68 pCi/L |
2017 | 0.80 pCi/L | 20 | 8 | ND - 2.00 pCi/L |
2018 | 0.00 pCi/L | 20 | 1 | ND - 0.07 pCi/L |
2019 | 0.03 pCi/L | 20 | 5 | ND - 0.22 pCi/L |
pCi/L = picocuries per liter
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.35 pCi/L
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.35 pCi/L for strontium-90 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
All test results
Date | Lab ID | Result |
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