Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Cyanide

Whitworth Water District 2

Cyanide is a toxic chemical that causes central nervous system and thyroid toxicity. Water contamination is generally the result of metal mining and chemical industry waste, runoff from agriculture and road salts used for melting ice.

 

12

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND20ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND10ND
2022ND50ND
2023ND10ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 150 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 150 ppb for cyanide 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 harm to the brain and nervous system.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 200 ppb

The legal limit for cyanide, established in 1992, was based on a 1955 toxicity study conducted in laboratory animals. This limit does not include any additional consideration of children’s health.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-05-21ND
2018-05-21ND
2018-05-21ND
2019-06-18ND
2019-06-21ND
2021-05-174117274ND
2022-04-214271877ND
2022-05-184284648ND
2022-05-314294015ND
2022-06-274309799ND
2022-07-144309806ND
2023-04-274452165ND