Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Selenium

Decatur Waterworks

NOTE: Decatur Waterworks purchases water from Benton - Washington Regional Public Water Authority which is required to test for selenium. Sample information shown below was taken by Benton - Washington Regional Public Water Authority.

Selenium is an essential element in diets. But too much selenium can decrease thyroid hormone production and cause hair loss, skin lesions and brittle fingernails.

 

10

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND20ND
2022ND10ND
2023ND20ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 30 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 30 ppb for selenium 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 hair loss and nail damage.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 50 ppb

The legal limit for selenium, established in 1991, was based on human epidemiological studies of populations exposed to naturally occurring selenium in drinking water. This limit does not include any additional consideration of children’s health.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

NOTE: Decatur Waterworks purchases water from Benton - Washington Regional Public Water Authority which is required to test for selenium. Sample information shown below was taken by Benton - Washington Regional Public Water Authority.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-05-15Y181370009ND
2019-04-02Y190930004ND
2020-04-14Y201070017ND
2020-08-25Y202400070ND
2020-11-02Y203100051ND
2021-02-23Y210560002ND
2021-05-04Y211260044ND
2022-05-04Y221250005ND
2023-04-04Y230960052ND
2023-04-11Y231020007ND