Radium in Drinking Water

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2008

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What Is Radium? Radium (Ra) is a naturally occurring radioactive element that is present in varying amounts in rocks and soil within the earth’s crust. Small amounts of radium also can be found in groundwater supplies. Radium can be present in several forms, called isotopes. The most common isotopes in Illinois groundwater are Ra-226 and Ra-228. The main type of radiation

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2008

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Radium is a naturally occurring radioactive element that can be found in soil, rock, and groundwater. It can enter private wells and contaminate drinking water.

Exposure to radium in drinking water can increase the risk of cancer, especially for those who drink water with high levels of radium over a long period of time.

The Illinois Department of Public Health recommends that private well owners test their water for radium and other contaminants at least once every three years. If radium levels exceed the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), treatment options are available to remove radium from the water.