What is a safe level of radon in drinking water?

What is a safe level of radon in drinking water?

300 to 10,000 pCi/L
Based on the potential for cancer, the EPA suggests that indoor air should not exceed 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). EPA and various states have recommended drinking water standards for radon in water ranging from 300 to 10,000 pCi/L but no standard currently exists.

What is a hazardous level of radon?

4 pCi/L
Radon levels are measured in picocuries per liter, or pCi/L. Levels of 4 pCi/L or higher are considered hazardous. Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk and in many cases can be reduced, although it is difficult to reduce levels below 2 pCi/L.

What are normal radon readings?

According to the EPA, the maximum “acceptable” level of radon is 4.0 pCi/L, but even that level is not “safe”, per se. The EPA strongly recommends you consider radon mitigation between levels 2.0 and 4.0. For perspective, the average outdoor air level of radon is 0.4 pCi/L.

What happens if you have radon in your water?

Some radon stays in the water; drinking water containing radon also presents a risk of developing internal organ cancers, primarily stomach cancer. However this risk is smaller than the risk of developing lung cancer from radon released to air from tap water.

Can you test for radon in well water?

If you have a private well, the EPA recommends testing your water for radon. The Safe Drinking Water Hotline, (800) 426-4791, can provide phone numbers for your state laboratory certification office.

Can you have radon in your well water?

Well water, in particular, can become contaminated with radon. The EPA indicates that about 168 people die each year from cancer caused by drinking water containing radon. The majority of these deaths – 89% – occur from lung cancer as the radon is released into the air from the well water.

WHO recommended radon levels?

Based on recently completed research, the World Health Organization is recommending that homeowners take action to remediate the radon level in their home if it exceeds 100 becquerels (Bq), which corresponds to 2.7 picocuries per liter (pCi/L).

Is radon 1.7 Bad?

The EPA strongly recommends radon mitigation if your radon levels are above 4 pCi/L, though radon levels below 4 still pose a health risk. They recommend you consider mitigation if your radon levels are between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Two- thirds of radon-induced lung cancer deaths come from radon exposures below 4 pCi/L.

Is a radon level of 2.7 safe?

A “safe” level of radon listed by the WHO is anything under 2.7 pCi/L while the EPA lists anything under 4.0 pCi/L. At these levels or higher, a mitigation system is strongly suggested. In fact, radon is the primary cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of all lung cancer diagnosis’.

How do you mitigate radon in water?

Radon can be removed from water by one of two methods:

1. Aeration treatment – spraying water or mixing it with air and then venting the air from the water before use, or.
2. GAC treatment – filtering water through granular activated carbon. Radon attaches to the carbon and leaves the water free of radon.

How do you mitigate radon in well water?

Radon can be removed from water by 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 granular activated carbon.

Can radon contaminate well water?

Well water, in particular, can become contaminated with radon. The majority of these deaths – 89% – occur from lung cancer as the radon is released into the air from the well water. The other 11% of deaths occur from stomach cancer related to ingesting the water.

What states have radon problems?

States with high concentrations of radon include Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Maine, Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

What is a safe level of water radon?

Currently there is no federally enforced drinking water standard for radon. The EPA is proposing that radon levels in drinking water from public systems be below 300 pCi/L, or alternatively below 4000 pCi/L if a multimedia mitigation plan for indoor air is developed by the state.

How do you remove radon from drinking water?

Aeration – Because radon is a gas, it is possible to remove it from the water by simply blowing air through the water and pushing the resulting vapor out away from the home – typically through a pipe on the roof. Usually these aeration systems work by having an air source at the bottom of a water storage tank.

What are the health effects from exposure to radon?

At levels normally encountered in the environment, radon exposure causes no acute or subacute health effects, no irritating effects, and has no warning signs. The primary adverse health effect of exposure to increased levels of radon is lung cancer.