Strontium

City of Santa Barbara Water Department

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
2014	0.996 ppb	22	22	0.670 ppb - 1.90 ppb
2015	0.845 ppb	2	2	0.820 ppb - 0.870 ppb
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
2014-03-17	201403180207AM	1.90 ppb
2014-03-17	201403180209AM	1.80 ppb
2014-03-18	201403190624AM	1.000 ppb
2014-03-18	201403190587AM	0.870 ppb
2014-03-18	201403190612AM	0.670 ppb
2014-03-18	201403190597AM	0.670 ppb
2014-03-25	201403260346AM	0.720 ppb
2014-03-25	201403260379AM	0.800 ppb
2014-06-11	201406120307AM	0.810 ppb
2014-06-11	201406120329AM	0.900 ppb
2014-06-11	201406120320AM	0.690 ppb
2014-09-24	201409250519AM	0.780 ppb
2014-09-24	201409250443AM	1.10 ppb
2014-09-24	201409250432AM	0.840 ppb
2014-09-24	201409250330AM	1.20 ppb
2014-09-24	201409250511AM	1.80 ppb
2014-09-24	201409250531AM	0.960 ppb
2014-09-29	201409300386AM	1.10 ppb
2014-10-22	201410230179AM	0.920 ppb
2014-12-17	201412180230AM	0.830 ppb
2014-12-17	201412180234AM	0.830 ppb
2014-12-23	201412240447AM	0.720 ppb
2015-01-14	201501150410AM	0.870 ppb
2015-07-14	201507150470AM	0.820 ppb