Strontium

City of San Diego

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2013	0.678 ppb	12	12	0.490 ppb - 0.800 ppb
2014	0.745 ppb	12	12	0.500 ppb - 0.940 ppb
2015	N/A	0	0	N/A
2016	N/A	0	0	N/A
2017	N/A	0	0	N/A
2018	N/A	0	0	N/A
2019	N/A	0	0	N/A

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 1,500 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 1,500 ppb for strontium was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. This health guideline protects against harm to bones.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date	Lab ID	Result
2013-08-19	1308683-001A	0.560 ppb
2013-08-19	1308684-001A	0.770 ppb
2013-08-20	1308735-001A	0.750 ppb
2013-08-20	1308736-001A	0.800 ppb
2013-08-21	1308767-001A	0.660 ppb
2013-08-21	1308768-001A	0.720 ppb
2013-11-12	1311403-001A	0.760 ppb
2013-11-12	1311404-001A	0.550 ppb
2013-11-12	1311402-001A	0.790 ppb
2013-11-12	1311405-001A	0.770 ppb
2013-11-13	1311446-001A	0.490 ppb
2013-11-13	1311448-001A	0.510 ppb
2014-02-10	1402420-001A	0.930 ppb
2014-02-10	1402419-001A	0.940 ppb
2014-02-10	1402418-001A	0.910 ppb
2014-02-10	1402421-001A	0.710 ppb
2014-02-11	1402514-001A	0.540 ppb
2014-02-11	1402513-001A	0.520 ppb
2014-05-12	1405511-001A	0.920 ppb
2014-05-12	1405512-001A	0.880 ppb
2014-05-12	1405469-001A	0.860 ppb
2014-05-12	1405468-001A	0.700 ppb
2014-05-13	1405607-001A	0.500 ppb
2014-05-13	1405606-001A	0.530 ppb