Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Selenium

Town of Oakland

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.

 

21

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND40ND
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
2018-05-10E18004082004ND
2018-05-10E18004082003ND
2018-10-1564637ND
2018-10-1864636ND
2019-08-1967330ND
2019-08-1967331ND
2020-06-02E20003710003ND
2020-06-23E20003926003ND
2020-09-0270323ND
2020-09-0270324ND
2021-06-08E21003620003ND
2021-06-08E21003620004ND
2021-09-1473451ND
2021-09-1473452ND
2022-06-09E2201076701ND
2022-06-09E2201076704ND
2022-07-2876283ND
2022-07-2876284ND
2022-07-2878597ND
2023-04-1878596ND
2023-04-1878597-AND