Strontium-90
Castaic Lake Water Agency
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.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.15 pCi/L | 3 | 3 | 0.04 pCi/L - 0.30 pCi/L |
| 2015 | 0.01 pCi/L | 5 | 1 | ND - 0.07 pCi/L |
| 2016 | ND | 3 | 0 | ND |
| 2017 | ND | 2 | 0 | ND |
| 2018 | ND | 3 | 0 | ND |
| 2019 | ND | 3 | 0 | ND |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-07-30 | 5867-006-0930 | 0.30 pCi/L |
| 2014-07-30 | 5867-005-0830 | 0.04 pCi/L |
| 2014-11-21 | 5867-004-1155 | 0.10 pCi/L |
| 2015-01-14 | 5867-004-1220 | 0.07 pCi/L |
| 2015-04-14 | 0010-004-1315 | ND |
| 2015-07-23 | 0010-005-0840 | ND |
| 2015-07-23 | 0010-006-0940 | ND |
| 2015-07-23 | 0010-004-0750 | ND |
| 2016-07-20 | 0010-005-1115 | ND |
| 2016-07-20 | 0010-006-1215 | ND |
| 2016-07-20 | 0010-004-1035 | ND |
| 2017-07-26 | 0010-006-1405 | ND |
| 2017-07-26 | 0010-004-1140 | ND |
| 2018-07-25 | 0010-004-1230 | ND |
| 2018-07-25 | 0010-005-1310 | ND |
| 2018-07-25 | 0010-006-1350 | ND |
| 2019-07-31 | 0010-004-1000 | ND |
| 2019-07-31 | 0010-005-1040 | ND |
| 2019-07-31 | 0010-006-1125 | ND |