Strontium-90
Calleguas Municipal Water District
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. Read More.
Strontium-90 has been emitted widely by nuclear power plants, weapons facilities, waste sites and nuclear research facilities. Strontium-90 is structurally similar to calcium and is thus taken up into bones. The chief health concerns from strontium-90 exposure are bone cancer and leukemia.
No federal drinking water standards for strontium-90 exist. California set a legal maximum of 8 picocuries of strontium-90 radioactivity per liter of water. California also has a public health goal of no more than 0.35 picocuries of strontium-90 per liter of drinking water. According to studies by the U.S. Geological Survey, strontium-90 also is a concern for water quality in private wells.
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 | 0.14 pCi/L | 19 | 12 | ND - 0.46 pCi/L |
| 2015 | 0.29 pCi/L | 19 | 10 | ND - 1.25 pCi/L |
| 2016 | 0.16 pCi/L | 20 | 12 | ND - 0.68 pCi/L |
| 2017 | 0.80 pCi/L | 20 | 8 | ND - 2.00 pCi/L |
| 2018 | 0.00 pCi/L | 20 | 1 | ND - 0.07 pCi/L |
| 2019 | 0.03 pCi/L | 20 | 5 | ND - 0.22 pCi/L |
pCi/L = picocuries per liter
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.35 pCi/L
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.35 pCi/L for strontium-90 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.
pCi/L = picocuries per liter
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-10 | 5867-006-0945 | 0.27 pCi/L |
| 2014-01-10 | 5867-010-1130 | ND |
| 2014-03-21 | 5867-007-1125 | 0.31 pCi/L |
| 2014-03-21 | 5867-020-1045 | 0.46 pCi/L |
| 2014-03-28 | 5867-023-1050 | ND |
| 2014-04-11 | 5867-009-1010 | 0.05 pCi/L |
| 2014-04-11 | 5867-018-1100 | 0.16 pCi/L |
| 2014-04-18 | 5867-011-1030 | ND |
| 2014-04-18 | 5867-022-0945 | 0.39 pCi/L |
| 2014-05-07 | 5867-004-0915 | 0.34 pCi/L |
| 2014-05-08 | 5867-014-1116 | 0.25 pCi/L |
| 2014-05-08 | 5867-015-1015 | 0.15 pCi/L |
| 2014-05-08 | 5867-016-1040 | 0.10 pCi/L |
| 2014-05-08 | 5867-017-1055 | 0.15 pCi/L |
| 2014-11-17 | 5867-012-1110 | 0.13 pCi/L |
| 2014-11-17 | 5867-013-1550 | ND |
| 2014-11-17 | 5867-019-1440 | ND |
| 2014-11-18 | 5867-008-1315 | ND |
| 2014-11-19 | 5867-021-1010 | ND |
| 2015-02-02 | 5867-004-0815 | 0.65 pCi/L |
| 2015-02-19 | 5867-006-1455 | 0.59 pCi/L |
| 2015-02-19 | 5867-017-1415 | 0.11 pCi/L |
| 2015-02-20 | 5867-007-1220 | 0.16 pCi/L |
| 2015-02-20 | 5867-011-1400 | 0.59 pCi/L |
| 2015-10-21 | 5867-014-1020 | ND |
| 2015-10-22 | 5867-023-1050 | ND |
| 2015-10-27 | 5867-012-1030 | ND |
| 2015-10-27 | 5867-015-1300 | ND |
| 2015-10-27 | 5867-016-1130 | ND |
| 2015-11-04 | 5867-004-1340 | ND |
| 2015-11-05 | 5867-013-1140 | ND |
| 2015-11-05 | 5867-021-1400 | 0.14 pCi/L |
| 2015-11-05 | 5867-022-1210 | 0.83 pCi/L |
| 2015-11-12 | 5867-008-1120 | 0.61 pCi/L |
| 2015-11-12 | 5867-009-1230 | 1.25 pCi/L |
| 2015-11-12 | 5867-010-1250 | 0.57 pCi/L |
| 2015-11-12 | 5867-018-1405 | ND |
| 2015-11-12 | 5867-019-1045 | ND |
| 2016-01-12 | 5867-015-1240 | ND |
| 2016-01-15 | 5867-012-0930 | 0.22 pCi/L |
| 2016-01-21 | 5867-013-0940 | 0.26 pCi/L |
| 2016-01-21 | 5867-014-1025 | ND |
| 2016-01-29 | 5867-016-0930 | 0.51 pCi/L |
| 2016-02-01 | 5867-017-1500 | ND |
| 2016-02-04 | 5867-009-1030 | ND |
| 2016-02-19 | 5867-010-1040 | ND |
| 2016-04-04 | 5867-004-0840 | 0.11 pCi/L |
| 2016-04-05 | 5867-011-1125 | 0.58 pCi/L |
| 2016-04-05 | 5867-022-0930 | ND |
| 2016-04-05 | 5867-023-1000 | 0.68 pCi/L |
| 2016-04-06 | 5867-018-1100 | 0.05 pCi/L |
| 2016-04-06 | 5867-019-1030 | 0.26 pCi/L |
| 2016-04-06 | 5867-020-1305 | 0.10 pCi/L |
| 2016-04-06 | 5867-021-1150 | 0.32 pCi/L |
| 2016-04-07 | 5867-006-1155 | 0.10 pCi/L |
| 2016-04-07 | 5867-007-1300 | 0.10 pCi/L |
| 2016-04-07 | 5867-008-1340 | ND |
| 2016-11-07 | 5867-004-0745 | ND |
| 2017-03-21 | 5867-004-1040 | 2.00 pCi/L |
| 2017-04-17 | 5867-008-1005 | 2.00 pCi/L |
| 2017-04-17 | 5867-009-1245 | 2.00 pCi/L |
| 2017-04-18 | 5867-006-1130 | 2.00 pCi/L |
| 2017-04-18 | 5867-020-1250 | 2.00 pCi/L |
| 2017-04-19 | 5867-011-1050 | 2.00 pCi/L |
| 2017-04-20 | 5867-016-1240 | 2.00 pCi/L |
| 2017-04-20 | 5867-017-1010 | 2.00 pCi/L |
| 2017-09-26 | 2542-018-1105 | ND |
| 2017-09-27 | 2542-013-1040 | ND |
| 2017-09-27 | 2542-014-1100 | ND |
| 2017-10-16 | 2542-004-0855 | ND |
| 2017-11-06 | 2542-007-1015 | ND |
| 2017-11-06 | 2542-010-1120 | ND |
| 2017-11-13 | 2542-012-1021 | ND |
| 2017-11-13 | 2542-015-1245 | ND |
| 2017-11-13 | 2542-019-1002 | ND |
| 2017-11-13 | 2542-021-1109 | ND |
| 2017-11-20 | 2542-022-1100 | ND |
| 2017-11-20 | 2542-023-1200 | ND |
| 2018-02-13 | 2542-015-1050 | ND |
| 2018-02-13 | 2542-016-0945 | ND |
| 2018-02-13 | 2542-018-1135 | ND |
| 2018-02-13 | 2542-019-1240 | ND |
| 2018-02-26 | 2542-004-0915 | ND |
| 2018-02-27 | 2542-020-1015 | ND |
| 2018-02-27 | 2542-021-1110 | ND |
| 2018-02-27 | 2542-022-0955 | ND |
| 2018-02-27 | 2542-023-1045 | ND |
| 2018-03-05 | 2542-007-1300 | ND |
| 2018-03-05 | 2542-008-1330 | ND |
| 2018-03-06 | 2542-009-1130 | ND |
| 2018-03-06 | 2542-010-1340 | ND |
| 2018-03-07 | 2542-006-1400 | ND |
| 2018-03-07 | 2542-011-1100 | ND |
| 2018-03-07 | 2542-013-1320 | ND |
| 2018-03-08 | 2542-012-1000 | ND |
| 2018-03-08 | 2542-014-1330 | ND |
| 2018-04-30 | 2542-017-1030 | ND |
| 2018-11-05 | 5867-004-0820 | 0.07 pCi/L |
| 2019-01-29 | 5867-004-0930 | 0.17 pCi/L |
| 2019-02-01 | 5867-012-0902 | ND |
| 2019-02-01 | 5867-016-0932 | ND |
| 2019-02-04 | 5867-011-1020 | ND |
| 2019-02-04 | 5867-018-0945 | ND |
| 2019-02-05 | 5867-014-1115 | ND |
| 2019-02-05 | 5867-022-1020 | ND |
| 2019-02-05 | 5867-023-0945 | ND |
| 2019-02-06 | 5867-015-1230 | ND |
| 2019-02-07 | 5867-020-0840 | ND |
| 2019-02-11 | 5867-006-1030 | 0.16 pCi/L |
| 2019-02-11 | 5867-008-1105 | 0.22 pCi/L |
| 2019-02-11 | 5867-021-0930 | ND |
| 2019-02-19 | 5867-007-1200 | ND |
| 2019-02-19 | 5867-009-1300 | 0.05 pCi/L |
| 2019-02-19 | 5867-010-1230 | ND |
| 2019-02-19 | 5867-019-1100 | ND |
| 2019-02-20 | 5867-013-1145 | ND |
| 2019-02-20 | 5867-017-1045 | 0.03 pCi/L |
| 2019-11-04 | 5867-004-0800 | ND |