National Drinking Water Database

• Read the Research
• Get a Water Filter
• Tips for Safe Water
• FAQs
• EWG Needs Your Help. As little as $5 can help.

Combined Radium (-226 & -228) in New York

---

Radium is a radioactive element usually found around uranium deposits. [read more]

Radium Radium is a radioactive element that occurs naturally in many minerals and in groundwater. In humans, radium causes a wide range of health effects, including lung, bone, liver, kidney and brain tumors, leukemia, skin damage and blood damage, due to its capacity to release alpha, beta and gamma radioactive particles. Radium was once used medicinally, and as a paint additive to make semi-luminous paint (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) 2002c). A drinking water contaminant fact sheet written by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that exposure to radium in drinking water above the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of five pCi/L may cause cancer (USEPA 2009b).

The Most Polluted Communities in New York

947 water utilities reported detecting Combined Radium (-226 & -228) in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies

Ranked by highest average Combined Radium (-226 & -228) level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Blue Ridge Mobile Court King Of Prussia, NY	175	1 of 1	10.18 pCi/L (10.18 pCi/L)
2	Cedar Valley Waterworks Hyde Park, NY	375	3 of 3	9.25 pCi/L (4.9 to 14.35 pCi/L)
3	Lime Ridge Farm Mahopac Falls, NY	25	15 of 15	7.95 pCi/L (2 to 12.27 pCi/L)
4	Covington Green Condominium Poughkeepsie, NY	120	21 of 21	7.64 pCi/L (4.2 to 9.8 pCi/L)
5	Cedar Meadow Water Corp/Cameo Farm Poughquag, NY	200	12 of 13	7.06 pCi/L (0 to 10.38 pCi/L)
6	Holly Park Terrace Waverly, NY	350	1 of 1	6.86 pCi/L (6.86 pCi/L)
7	Dover Ridge Estates Poughquag, NY	250	8 of 8	6.84 pCi/L (4.03 to 12.63 pCi/L)
8	Lakeview Terrace Mobile Home P Hopewell Junction, NY	70	6 of 6	6.82 pCi/L (2.64 to 12.3 pCi/L)
9	Greenfield Water District Hyde Park, NY	1,050	3 of 3	6.24 pCi/L (4.87 to 8.81 pCi/L)
10	Croton Falls Water District North Salem, NY	175	16 of 16	6.16 pCi/L (0.19 to 10.44 pCi/L)

Health Based Limits for Combined Radium (-226 & -228)

Standard	Description	Level
Maximum Contaminant Limit Goal (MCLG)	A non-enforceable health goal that is set at a level at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons occurs and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	0 pCi/L
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	The enforceable standard which defines the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to health-based limits (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals, or MCLGs) as feasible using the best available analytical and treatment technologies and taking cost into consideration. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	5 pCi/L

Violation Summary for Combined Radium (-226 & -228) in New York

Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes the following violations of federal standards in New York since 2004

Violation Type	Number of Violations
Failure to monitor regularly	139
Over maximum contaminant level, Average	15
Over maximum contaminant level, Single Sample	3