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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Arsenic

City of Santa Barbara Water Department

Arsenic is a potent carcinogen and common contaminant in drinking water. Arsenic causes thousands of cases of cancer each year in the U.S. Click here to read more about arsenic.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

54

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

3

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND40ND
2015ND30ND
20160.273 ppb111ND - 3.00 ppb
2017ND120ND
2018ND120ND
20191.17 ppb122ND - 8.00 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.004 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.004 ppb for arsenic 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.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 10 ppb

The legal limit for arsenic, established in 2001, was based on costs for arsenic removal, as calculated at the time that the standard was set. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to arsenic exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-10-219590-042-0758ND
2014-10-219590-035-0931ND
2014-10-219590-015-0843ND
2014-10-229590-004-1014ND
2015-05-129590-055-0842ND
2015-10-219590-004-0947ND
2015-11-109590-005-1050ND
2016-01-129590-004-0856ND
2016-01-129590-054-0910ND
2016-04-069590-004-0828ND
2016-04-069590-054-0846ND
2016-07-129590-054-0845ND
2016-07-129590-004-08353.00 ppb
2016-10-129590-004-1023ND
2016-10-129590-054-1120ND
2016-11-029590-004-0838ND
2016-11-029590-031-1120ND
2016-11-029590-053-1152ND
2017-01-119590-004-1034ND
2017-01-119590-054-1043ND
2017-04-059590-054-0956ND
2017-04-059590-004-0946ND
2017-05-189590-058-1734ND
2017-07-199590-054-0945ND
2017-07-199590-004-0933ND
2017-10-049590-054-1140ND
2017-10-049590-004-1124ND
2017-11-079590-004-0955ND
2017-11-149590-042-0848ND
2017-11-149590-035-0930ND
2018-01-099590-004-1100ND
2018-01-099590-054-1120ND
2018-05-099590-004-0905ND
2018-05-099590-054-0912ND
2018-07-309590-058-0815ND
2018-08-159590-004-1052ND
2018-08-159590-054-1104ND
2018-09-259590-055-1120ND
2018-09-259590-015-0947ND
2018-09-269590-004-1131ND
2018-11-149590-054-0945ND
2018-11-149590-004-0932ND
2019-02-059590-054-1110ND
2019-02-059590-004-1049ND
2019-05-079590-054-0915ND
2019-05-079590-004-0905ND
2019-07-109590-004-0942ND
2019-07-109590-054-0957ND
2019-09-049590-058-1240ND
2019-10-079590-004-0942ND
2019-10-079590-054-0957ND
2019-10-299590-004-1034ND
2019-10-299590-031-09048.00 ppb
2019-12-059590-053-14036.00 ppb