Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Selenium

Joshua Basin Water District

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.

 

13

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND40ND
2021N/A00N/A
2022N/A00N/A
2023ND40ND

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

Date Lab ID Result
2018-05-10CA3610025_008_008-201805100600ND
2018-11-05CA3610025_005_005-201811050500ND
2018-11-05CA3610025_009_009-201811050530ND
2019-02-11CA3610025_011_011-201902110815ND
2019-02-11CA3610025_010_010-201902110730ND
2020-11-17CA3610025_010_010-202011171000ND
2020-11-17CA3610025_005_005-202011170730ND
2020-11-17CA3610025_009_009-202011170800ND
2020-11-17CA3610025_011_011-202011170930ND
2023-11-07CA3610025_009_009-202311070828ND
2023-11-07CA3610025_005_005-202311070631ND
2023-11-07CA3610025_010_010-202311070710ND
2023-11-07CA3610025_011_011-202311070928ND