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EWG Statement, 03/10/2008

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Status: Regulated - EPA has established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Radium-226 is a radioactive element usually found around uranium deposits. Potential health impacts associated with Radium-226 include cancer. [read more]

Sources of Radium-226:

	Industry
	Naturally Occurring (naturally present but increased for lands denuded by sprawl, agriculture, or industrial development)

An Environmental Working Group analysis of Radium-226 tests reported by 6,540 public water suppliers in 32 states shows that between 1998 and 2003, 62.1 million people in 4,675 communities drank water contaminated with Radium-226. In 101 of these communities, tap water was contaminated at levels above health-based thresholds.

Exposure Summary

62,089,351 People drinking water contaminated with Radium-226 4,675 Communities served water contaminated with Radium-226 199,924 People drinking water contaminated with Radium-226 over health based limits 101 Communities served water with Radium-226 above health based limits

Table. Radium-226 Exposure by State

200 thousand Americans in 14 states were served tap water contaminated with Radium-226 at levels above health-based limits between 1998 and 2003.

State	Water suppliers with Radium-226 contamination		Water suppliers reporting Radium-226 above health-based limits
	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Wisconsin	275	1,874,571	6	91,748
Texas	848	6,203,908	40	50,747
Pennsylvania	100	335,883	2	18,487
Missouri	123	219,434	12	11,276
Florida	873	11,695,371	9	11,113
Illinois	121	376,721	10	8,148
Iowa	407	698,275	8	5,160
Arizona	193	3,314,094	1	1,000
Colorado	149	507,578	6	970
New York	49	115,317	2	620
Wyoming	12	46,438	1	380
Minnesota	412	2,262,041	2	130
Maine	47	28,593	1	73
Virginia	83	64,893	1	72
California	196	30,041,851	0	0
Utah	32	1,046,638	0	0
Nebraska	204	800,691	0	0
Tennessee	30	649,672	0	0
North Dakota	198	462,110	0	0
Idaho	106	460,454	0	0
Alabama	2	210,522	0	0
Rhode Island	42	205,100	0	0
Nevada	61	171,747	0	0
Montana	59	78,387	0	0
New Mexico	10	76,679	0	0
Indiana	16	73,990	0	0
Massachusetts	9	55,021	0	0
Ohio	5	12,336	0	0
North Carolina	12	976	0	0
Oklahoma	1	60	0	0
Total	4,675	62,089,351	101	199,924

Table. The most polluted communities

200,000 Americans in 101 communities were served tap water contaminated with Radium-226 above health based limits between 1998 and 2003

Ranked by highest average Radium-226 level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Council Creek Village Austin, TX	327	2 of 2	21.85 pCi/L (17.2 to 26.5 pCi/L)
2	Crystal Forest Subdivision Pflugerville, TX	444	2 of 2	21.05 pCi/L (5.8 to 36.3 pCi/L)
3	Tow Village Property Owners Association Tow, TX	102	2 of 2	18.9 pCi/L (17.8 to 20 pCi/L)
4	Indian Hills Estates Water System LIVINGSTON, TX	942	1 of 1	18.3 pCi/L (18.3 to 18.3 pCi/L)
5	Millersview Doole Water Supply Commissio Millersview, TX	3,958	2 of 2	15.8 pCi/L (14.1 to 17.5 pCi/L)
6	Homestead Improve Association Inc. La Junta, CO	60	9 of 9	14.22 pCi/L (12 to 16 pCi/L)
7	North San Saba Water Supply Commission San Saba, TX	741	4 of 4	13.25 pCi/L (5.9 to 20.5 pCi/L)
8	Benton City Water Supply Commission Lytle, TX	10,572	4 of 4	13.23 pCi/L (8.6 to 16.4 pCi/L)
9	Bellevue Tn Sanitary District #1 Green Bay, WI	8,600	4 of 4	13.23 pCi/L (8.5 to 16.7 pCi/L)
10	White Oak Hills Porter, TX	222	2 of 2	12.25 pCi/L (12.1 to 12.4 pCi/L)

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Health based limits for Radium-226

Health Limit	Limit Value	Limit Description
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	5 pCi/L	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.
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	5 pCi/L	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.
Maximum Contaminant Limit Goal (MCLG)	0 pCi/L	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.

Testing Summary for Radium-226

Water suppliers report an average of 0.3 Radium-226 tests per year. 33,211 water suppliers failed to report any Radium-226 tests at all.

Are tests routinely required for Radium-226 by federal law? Yes Water suppliers reporting tests for Radium-226 (1998-2003): 6,540 of 39,751 Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (1998-2003): 0.3 per year

Radium-226 Violations

Table. 0.3 percent of all water suppliers violated safe drinking water standards for Radium-226 between 1998 and 2003

Violation Type	Violations	Systems
Any Violation (1998-2003)	258	190
	(0.3% of all suppliers)
Testing violations (1998-2003)	237	179
	(0.3% of all suppliers)
Violations of tap water pollution standards (1998-2003)	21	16
	(< 0.1% of all suppliers)