Strontium-90
Manchester 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ND | 3 | 0 | ND |
| 2019 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2020 | ND | 3 | 0 | ND |
| 2021 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2022 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2023 | 0.01 pCi/L | 3 | 1 | ND - 0.03 pCi/L |
pCi/L = picocuries per liter
State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-26 | AA83267-RADB | ND |
| 2018-03-27 | AA83279-RADB | ND |
| 2018-03-28 | AA83297-RADB | ND |
| 2020-12-15 | AA96030-RADB | ND |
| 2020-12-15 | AA96037-RADB | ND |
| 2020-12-15 | AA96038-RADB | ND |
| 2023-11-01 | N3K0064-01 | 0.03 pCi/L |
| 2023-11-01 | 231101-3-05RAD | ND |
| 2023-11-01 | 231101-3-06RAD | ND |