Strontium-90
Metropolitan Water District of So. Cal.
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 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
2015 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
2016 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
2017 | 0.68 pCi/L | 19 | 13 | ND - 2.00 pCi/L |
2018 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
2019 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
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 |
---|---|---|
2017-02-06 | 5867-003-0955 | 0.44 pCi/L |
2017-02-06 | 5867-026-1020 | 0.33 pCi/L |
2017-02-06 | 5867-005-0930 | 0.22 pCi/L |
2017-02-06 | 5867-020-1125 | 0.50 pCi/L |
2017-02-06 | 5867-013-1020 | 0.44 pCi/L |
2017-05-01 | 5867-003-1010 | 2.00 pCi/L |
2017-05-01 | 5867-026-0943 | 2.00 pCi/L |
2017-05-01 | 5867-020-1130 | 2.00 pCi/L |
2017-05-01 | 5867-013-0930 | 2.00 pCi/L |
2017-05-01 | 5867-005-0918 | 2.00 pCi/L |
2017-08-07 | 5867-013-0000 | ND |
2017-08-07 | 5867-005-0000 | 0.84 pCi/L |
2017-08-07 | 5867-003-0000 | 0.16 pCi/L |
2017-08-07 | 5867-026-0000 | 0.09 pCi/L |
2017-11-06 | 2542-005-0850 | ND |
2017-11-06 | 2542-013-2130 | ND |
2017-11-06 | 2542-020-1110 | ND |
2017-11-06 | 2542-003-0951 | ND |
2017-11-06 | 2542-026-1015 | ND |