Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Selenium

City of Post Falls

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.

 

10

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND70ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND30ND
2023N/A00N/A

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
2019-11-12I210891ND
2019-11-13I210941ND
2019-11-18I211059ND
2019-11-18I211062ND
2019-11-19I211103ND
2019-12-09I211716ND
2019-12-16I211917ND
2022-03-14I238767ND
2022-06-06I241708ND
2022-07-13I243511ND