Cadmium
Santa Maria Water Department
Cadmium is a toxic metal found in food and drinking water. It has been linked to kidney toxicity, bone damage, cancer, and damage to developing fetuses.
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 | ND | 1 | 0 | ND |
| 2015 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2016 | ND | 6 | 0 | ND |
| 2017 | ND | 1 | 0 | ND |
| 2018 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2019 | ND | 5 | 0 | ND |
ppb = parts per billion
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.04 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.04 ppb for cadmium 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 harm to internal organs.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 5 ppb
The legal limit for cadmium, established in 1991, was based on research studies of cadmium toxicity conducted in the 1970s. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to cadmium exposure.
ppb = parts per billion
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-03-04 | 3761-004-0730 | ND |
| 2016-03-01 | 3761-013-0540 | ND |
| 2016-04-05 | 3761-014-0530 | ND |
| 2016-06-15 | 3761-006-0728 | ND |
| 2016-09-07 | 3761-009-0655 | ND |
| 2016-09-07 | 3761-010-0615 | ND |
| 2016-09-07 | 3761-011-0550 | ND |
| 2017-08-15 | 3761-012-0602 | ND |
| 2019-03-05 | 3761-013-1015 | ND |
| 2019-04-02 | 3761-014-1120 | ND |
| 2019-09-10 | 3761-009-0716 | ND |
| 2019-09-10 | 3761-010-0815 | ND |
| 2019-09-10 | 3761-011-0740 | ND |