| Radon and Drinking Water
from Private Wells
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What is radon?
Radon is a radioactive gas.�
It occurs naturally and is produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil,
rock, and water.� It can also dissolve into our water supply.�
How can I be exposed to radon?
Radon typically moves up
from the ground to the air and into your home through cracks in the foundation.�
Radon gas can also enter the home through well water.� As you shower or
use your well water for other household tasks, the gas can be released from
the water into the air.
Where and how does radon get into drinking water?
While most radon-related
deaths are due to radon gas accumulated in houses from seepage through cracks
in the foundation, 30 to 1,800 deaths per year are attributed to radon from
household water.� Showering, washing dishes, and laundering can disturb
the water and release radon gas into the air you breathe.
What are the symptoms
of radon exposure?
Drinking water that has
high levels of radon may be a health risk, but breathing air high in radon
concentration is more harmful to your health.� Breathing in radon gas over
a long period of time can increase your risk of getting lung cancer.� Drinking
water contaminated by radon may increase your chances of developing stomach
cancer.�
What should I do if I
have concerns about radon exposure?
See your health care provider
to discuss your concerns.
How is radon exposure
diagnosed?
Before you test your water
for radon, you should test the air.� If the indoor radon level is high and
you use groundwater, test your water.� If the radon level is low in the
air, there is no need to test your water.� Test results are expressed in
picocuries of radon per liter of water (pCi/l).� In general, 10,000 pCi/l
of radon in water contributes roughly 1 pCi/l of airborne radon throughout
the house.� The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently advises
consumers to take action if the total household air level is above 4 pCi/l.
What is the treatment for radon exposure?
For waterborne radon, a
simple step is to make sure your bathroom, laundry room, and kitchen are
well ventilated.� If your well water only has moderate levels of radon,
this may adequately reduce your exposure to waterborne radon.� However,
if your well has high levels of radon, you may need to use water treatment
devices such as granular activated carbon (GAC) units and home aerators.
How
do I remove radon from my drinking water?
Radon can be removed from water by using one of two methods:
- Aeration
treatment—spraying water or mixing it with air and then venting
the air from the water before use, or
- GAC
treatment—filtering water through carbon. Radon attaches to the
carbon and leaves the water free of radon. Disposing the carbon
may require special handling if it is used at a high radon level
or if it has been used for a long time.
In either treatment, it is important to treat the water where it enters
your home (point-of-entry device) so that all the water will be treated.�
Point-of-use devices such as those installed on a tap or under the sink
will only treat a small portion of your water and are not effective in
reducing radon in your water.� It is important to maintain home water
treatment units properly because failure to do so can lead to other water
contamination problems.� Some homeowners use a service contract from
the installer to provide carbon replacement and general system maintenance.
Revised Summer 2003
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