Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Selenium

New Britain Water Department

Selenium is an essential element in diets. But too much selenium can decrease thyroid hormone production and cause hair loss, skin lesions and brittle fingernails.

 

28

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND60ND
2019ND50ND
2020ND50ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND50ND
2023ND20ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 30 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 30 ppb for selenium 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 hair loss and nail damage.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 50 ppb

The legal limit for selenium, established in 1991, was based on human epidemiological studies of populations exposed to naturally occurring selenium in drinking water. This limit does not include any additional consideration of children’s health.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-04-16IOCR 200492150ND
2018-04-16IOCR 200492148ND
2018-04-16IOCR 200492149ND
2018-04-16IOCR 200492147ND
2018-06-20IOC1 200497534ND
2018-06-20IOCR 200497534ND
2019-04-25IOCR 200529606BND
2019-04-25IOCR 200529609END
2019-04-25IOCR 200529607CND
2019-04-25IOCR 200529608DND
2019-06-12IOC1 200535995ND
2020-04-22IOCR 200573267ND
2020-04-22IOCR 200573266ND
2020-04-22IOCR 200573268ND
2020-04-22IOCR 200573265ND
2020-06-11IOC1 200578892ND
2021-04-20IOCR 200613888ND
2021-04-20IOCR 200613891ND
2021-04-20IOCR 200613889ND
2021-04-20IOCR 200613890ND
2021-06-16IOC1 200621205ND
2022-04-20I300172305 300172308ND
2022-04-20I300172334 300172337ND
2022-04-20I300172312 300172315ND
2022-04-20I300172319 300172327ND
2022-06-28E300204043 300204047ND
2023-04-17E300334310 300334313ND
2023-06-13E300364610 300364613ND