Tritium
Status: No national drinking water standard exists
Tritium is a radioactive element emitted from nuclear reactors and weapons production plants. Radiation from tritium and other radioactive substances increases the risk of cancer. Click here to read more on radiological contaminants.
2014-2019:
FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES
8
states detected
201
utilities detected
12 million
people served
4
states over health guideline
8
utilities over health guideline
167,000
people served over health guideline
Health concerns for tritium
Cancer
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 400 pCi/L
The EWG Health Guideline of 400 pCi/L for tritium 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
States reporting tritium in drinking water
| UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
| California | 4 | 123,540 | 141 | 10,685,722 | |||
| Arkansas | 0 | 0 | 31 | 909,534 | |||
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 37,000 | 7 | 89,410 | |||
| New Mexico | 0 | 0 | 4 | 87,937 | |||
| Connecticut | 1 | 60 | 11 | 49,463 | |||
| Illinois | 2 | 6,625 | 2 | 6,625 | |||
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5,378 | |||
| Virginia | 0 | 0 | 2 | 280 | |||
MORE
LESS
Utilities with the highest amounts of tritium, 2014-2019
ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland-davis Clean Water Agency | Davis, CA | 4 of 10 | 2,593.60 pCi/L | 0 |
| City of Oakdale | Oakdale, CA | 1 of 1 | 922.00 pCi/L | 19,250 |
| Lamont Public Utility District | Bakersfield, CA | 1 of 1 | 776.00 pCi/L | 18,290 |
| Ventura Waterworks District No. 8 - Simi Valley | Simi Valley, CA | 1 of 4 | 636.25 pCi/L | 86,000 |
| Wilmington* | Wilmington, IL | 207 of 292 | 602.22 pCi/L | 5,757 |
| Lakewood Shores Improvement Association | Wilmington, IL | 207 of 292 | 602.22 pCi/L | 868 |
| Conrads Park | Danielson, CT | 2 of 3 | 586.00 pCi/L | 60 |
| Penn State Univ.* | University Park, PA | 2 of 4 | 497.85 pCi/L | 37,000 |
| East Orange County Water District - Wz* | Orange, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 0 |
| El Toro Water District | Lake Forest, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 48,628 |
| Western Municipal Water District (id A - Rainbow) | Riverside, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 122 |
| Laguna Beach County WD | Laguna Beach, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 50,000 |
| Beverly Hills Water Department | Beverly Hills, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 44,290 |
| California Water Service Company - Palos Verde | San Jose, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 69,883 |
| Metropolitan Water District of So. Cal.* | Los Angeles, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 0 |
| Foothill Municipal Water District* | La Canada Flintridge, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 0 |
| Golden State Water Company (GSWC) - Culver City | Rancho Cordova, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 36,215 |
| El Segundo Water Department | El Segundo, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 16,654 |
| City of Seal Beach | Seal Beach, CA | 1 of 1 | 295.00 pCi/L | 24,157 |
| Chowchilla City Water Department | Chowchilla, CA | 1 of 1 | 220.00 pCi/L | 11,759 |
| U.s. Coast Guard Training Center | Petaluma, CA | 1 of 2 | 194.50 pCi/L | 1,350 |
| City of Petaluma* | Petaluma, CA | 1 of 2 | 194.50 pCi/L | 55,900 |
| Woodside Rv Park | Fort Bragg, CA | 1 of 2 | 192.50 pCi/L | 280 |
| Connecticut Water Company - Shoreline Region-chester System* | Clinton, CT | 1 of 2 | 172.00 pCi/L | 5,030 |
| Ventura County Waterworks District No. 17 - Bell Canyon | Moorpark, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 2,049 |
| Lake Sherwood Community Services District | Moorpark, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 1,527 |
| Solano Verde Mutual Water Company | Camarillo, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 100 |
| California Water Service Company - Westlake | San Jose, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 19,451 |
| Thousand Oaks Water Department | Thousand Oaks, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 50,000 |
| Calleguas Municipal Water District* | Thousand Oaks, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 0 |
| Cal American Water Company | Newbury Park, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 61,206 |
| Oak Park Water Service | Ventura, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 12,200 |
| Cal American Water Company - Las Posas Estates | Newbury Park, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 1,800 |
| Fox Laurel Mobile Home Park LLC | Oakdale, CT | 2 of 4 | 122.50 pCi/L | 40 |
| Dardanelle* | Dardanelle, AR | 2 of 9 | 116.11 pCi/L | 4,228 |
| Fcmtc Waterworks | Fort Chaffee, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 500 |
| Franklin-Sebatian Public Water Authority* | Lavaca, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 0 |
| Chester Water* | Chester, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 205 |
| Arkoma | Arkoma, OK | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 2,180 |
| Sequoyah County Rural Water District #7 | Muldrow, OK | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 2,948 |
| Lee Creek Rural Water District | Muldrow, OK | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 250 |
| Cedarville | Cedarville, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 8,423 |
| Van Buren Waterworks* | Van Buren, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 22,725 |
| Highway 71 Water District #1 Public Water Authority* | Alma, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 6,250 |
| Concord Water & Sewer Pfb of Crawford County | Van Bure, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 3,020 |
| Winslow Waterworks | Winslow, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 1,590 |
| Fort Smith Water Utilities* | Fort Smith, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 86,209 |
| Barling Waterworks* | Barling, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 4,583 |
| Bentonville Water Utilities* | Bentonville, AR | 2 of 9 | 115.67 pCi/L | 42,343 |
| Springdale Water Utilities* | Springdale, AR | 2 of 9 | 115.67 pCi/L | 90,235 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Tritium, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
| Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Oakdale | Oakdale, CA | 1 of 1 | 922.00 pCi/L | 19,250 |
| Lamont Public Utility District | Bakersfield, CA | 1 of 1 | 776.00 pCi/L | 18,290 |
| Ventura Waterworks District No. 8 - Simi Valley | Simi Valley, CA | 1 of 4 | 636.25 pCi/L | 86,000 |
| Penn State Univ.* | University Park, PA | 2 of 4 | 497.85 pCi/L | 37,000 |
| California Water Service Company - Palos Verde | San Jose, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 69,883 |
| El Toro Water District | Lake Forest, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 48,628 |
| Laguna Beach County WD | Laguna Beach, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 50,000 |
| Beverly Hills Water Department | Beverly Hills, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 44,290 |
| El Segundo Water Department | El Segundo, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 16,654 |
| Golden State Water Company (GSWC) - Culver City | Rancho Cordova, CA | 7 of 19 | 296.11 pCi/L | 36,215 |
| City of Seal Beach | Seal Beach, CA | 1 of 1 | 295.00 pCi/L | 24,157 |
| Chowchilla City Water Department | Chowchilla, CA | 1 of 1 | 220.00 pCi/L | 11,759 |
| City of Petaluma* | Petaluma, CA | 1 of 2 | 194.50 pCi/L | 55,900 |
| Cal American Water Company | Newbury Park, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 61,206 |
| Oak Park Water Service | Ventura, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 12,200 |
| Thousand Oaks Water Department | Thousand Oaks, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 50,000 |
| California Water Service Company - Westlake | San Jose, CA | 14 of 118 | 157.19 pCi/L | 19,451 |
| Fort Smith Water Utilities* | Fort Smith, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 86,209 |
| Van Buren Waterworks* | Van Buren, AR | 4 of 18 | 115.89 pCi/L | 22,725 |
| Rogers Water Utilities* | Rogers, AR | 2 of 9 | 115.67 pCi/L | 70,878 |
| Springdale Water Utilities* | Springdale, AR | 2 of 9 | 115.67 pCi/L | 90,235 |
| Fayetteville Waterworks* | Fayetteville, AR | 2 of 9 | 115.67 pCi/L | 102,878 |
| Bentonville Water Utilities* | Bentonville, AR | 2 of 9 | 115.67 pCi/L | 42,343 |
| Central Arkansas Water* | Little Rock, AR | 3 of 18 | 87.50 pCi/L | 330,667 |
| Ramona Municipal WD | Ramona, CA | 1 of 7 | 41.29 pCi/L | 40,000 |
| Valley Center MWD* | Valley Center, CA | 1 of 7 | 41.29 pCi/L | 25,450 |
| Rincon Del Diablo MWD(ID-1) | Escondido, CA | 1 of 7 | 41.29 pCi/L | 24,545 |
| Rainbow Municipal WD | Fallbrook, CA | 1 of 7 | 41.29 pCi/L | 19,611 |
| City of Carlsbad | Carlsbad, CA | 1 of 7 | 41.29 pCi/L | 84,838 |
| Vallecitos Water District | San Marcos, CA | 1 of 7 | 41.29 pCi/L | 94,871 |
| Pennsylvania American Royersford | Spring City, PA | 2 of 9 | 3.51 pCi/L | 41,613 |
| Southington Water Department | Southington, CT | 1 of 4 | 0.72 pCi/L | 43,069 |
* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Tritium, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.