Radium, combined (-226 & -228)

Status: National drinking water standard exists

Radium is a radioactive element that causes bone cancer and other cancers. It can occur naturally in groundwater, and oil and gas extraction activities such as hydraulic fracturing can elevate concentrations. Read More.

Radium releases radioactive particles that harm health in many ways, causing tumors in bone, lungs and other organs; leukemia; and skin and blood damage. Water utilities typically report radium amounts in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), which is a measure of radioactivity in water. The two most common forms of radium are radium-226 and radium-228. They may be reported separately or together.

Federal law allows up to 5 picocuries per liter of combined radium-226 and radium-228 in tap water. Research by the U.S. Geological Survey shows that in some regions of the country, such as the mid-continental region and North Atlantic coastal region, more than 20 percent of sampled wells have radium in levels exceeding the federal drinking water limit. And the legal limit does not equate safety: The EPA estimates that one in every 10,000 people drinking water containing radium at this level would develop cancer over a lifetime.

California set a public health goal much lower than the federal limit – 0.05 picocuries per liter of radium-226 and 0.019 picocuries per liter of radium-228, concentrations that are lower than the detection limit for most water tests.

Click here to read more on radiological contaminants.

2014-2019:

FOUND

FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

FOUND ABOVE LEGAL LIMIT

states detected

23,234

utilities detected

148 million

people served

states over health guideline

23,228

utilities over health guideline

146 million

people served over health guideline

states over legal limit

197

utilities over legal limit

590,000

people served over legal limit

Health concerns for radium, combined (-226 & -228)

Cancer

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.05 pCi/L

EWG applied the health guideline of 0.05 pCi/L, defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal for radium-226, to radium-226 and radium-228 combined. This health guideline protects against cancer.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 5 pCi/L

The legal limit for combined radium-226 and radium-228, established in 1976, was based on costs for radium removal, as calculated at the time that the standard was set. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to radium exposure.

pCi/L = picocuries per liter

States reporting radium, combined (-226 & -228) in drinking water

	UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES			UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State	Utilities	People Served		Utilities	People Served
Texas		2,614	17,559,611			2,557	17,399,998
Florida		1,015	14,001,854			1,015	14,001,854
California		490	10,723,275			519	11,499,750
Illinois		1,418	10,615,521			1,290	8,917,914
New York		1,039	5,960,912			1,036	5,965,024
Arizona		241	4,773,346			247	5,495,284
Massachusetts		380	5,044,699			380	5,044,568
New Jersey		384	4,994,032			383	4,992,032
Michigan		669	4,722,088			672	4,719,179
Virginia		696	4,360,658			701	4,561,892
Colorado		608	4,630,738			596	4,502,207
Louisiana		715	4,024,564			709	4,030,434
Tennessee		288	3,937,832			284	3,970,470
Wisconsin		944	3,841,229			946	3,842,039
Alabama		259	3,437,743			261	3,483,069
Pennsylvania		554	3,263,886			563	3,275,560
Utah		419	3,191,483			428	3,197,749
Nevada		135	1,235,629			139	2,759,580
Maryland		167	2,721,021			168	2,721,065
North Carolina		643	2,482,345			644	2,505,343
Indiana		353	2,223,847			359	2,250,491
Minnesota		458	2,193,229			458	2,193,229
New Mexico		472	1,862,737			541	1,931,200
Kentucky		242	1,850,824			239	1,843,096
Ohio		268	1,798,371			269	1,822,727
Georgia		513	1,732,241			514	1,734,786
Iowa		647	1,586,092			626	1,576,222
Washington		716	1,394,973			743	1,520,186
Oklahoma		469	1,512,115			469	1,514,271
Missouri		433	1,023,371			442	1,356,308
Mississippi		135	1,292,191			138	1,303,414
West Virginia		312	1,082,226			304	1,104,439
Idaho		411	1,020,747			421	1,024,641
Kansas		531	974,539			522	956,274
Delaware		143	951,615			148	955,248
Arkansas		336	818,611			355	885,899
Nebraska		397	859,305			394	862,386
New Hampshire		519	760,568			523	760,444
Oregon		121	701,047			121	701,047
District Of Columbia		4	664,572			3	648,882
South Carolina		176	620,342			179	613,796
Alaska		243	593,359			270	610,315
Connecticut		199	593,492			200	593,792
North Dakota		241	565,840			231	556,147
Montana		424	356,302			464	452,088
Wyoming		172	332,889			152	325,497
Vermont		215	310,542			206	310,390
Maine		207	195,208			212	202,591
Rhode Island		19	195,033			19	195,033
South Dakota		174	188,576			174	188,576

LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce radium, combined (-226 & -228)

Utilities with the highest amounts of radium, combined (-226 & -228), 2014-2019

ALL UTILITIES

LARGE UTILITIES

Utility	Location	Tests	Average level	People served
Patterson Valley Water Company	Rocky Ford, CO	5 of 5	23.16 pCi/L	96
South Council Creek 2	Austin, TX	4 of 4	21.90 pCi/L	111
Eureka Water Company	Swink, CO	12 of 12	19.63 pCi/L	498
Fayette Water Company	Manzanola, CO	9 of 9	19.52 pCi/L	75
South Silver Creek I II & III	Austin, TX	24 of 24	19.11 pCi/L	258
South Swink Water Company	La Junta, CO	24 of 24	17.55 pCi/L	607
City of Brady Water System*	Brady, TX	115 of 115	17.34 pCi/L	5,371
Valley Water Company	Manzanola, CO	22 of 22	15.49 pCi/L	270
Vroman Water Company	Manzanola, CO	13 of 13	14.86 pCi/L	125
Lakeland Services	Brady, TX	22 of 22	12.84 pCi/L	51
Buffalo Grove	Buffalo Grove, IL	1 of 1	12.83 pCi/L	41,266
Live Oak Hills Subdivision	Llano, TX	24 of 24	12.73 pCi/L	65
Peak View Park Llc	Woodland Park, CO	10 of 10	12.63 pCi/L	70
May Valley Wa	Wiley, CO	75 of 75	12.58 pCi/L	1,500
Bgwc Peachtree Acres	Greenville, SC	10 of 10	12.40 pCi/L	119
Wilmington*	Wilmington, IL	2 of 2	11.83 pCi/L	5,757
Lakewood Shores Improvement Association	Wilmington, IL	2 of 2	11.83 pCi/L	868
Gurnee	Gurnee, IL	1 of 1	11.72 pCi/L	31,284
Signal Mountain Ranch Property Owners Water Company	Beulah, CO	11 of 11	11.55 pCi/L	66
Leadwood PWS	Leadwood, MO	16 of 16	10.53 pCi/L	1,252
Downsville Sanitary District	Downsville, WI	2 of 2	10.45 pCi/L	250
Champion Farms Subdivision	Troy, MO	55 of 55	10.39 pCi/L	30
Cheraw, Town of	Cheraw, CO	12 of 12	10.38 pCi/L	254
West Grand Valley Wa	Rocky Ford, CO	7 of 7	10.34 pCi/L	100
North Holbrook Water Company	Rocky Ford, CO	12 of 12	10.33 pCi/L	58
Rolling Meadows	Rolling Meadows, IL	4 of 4	10.17 pCi/L	24,099
Gilford Village Water District	Gilford, NH	1 of 1	10.00 pCi/L	130
Lake Texoma Vfw Post 7873	Pottsboro, TX	24 of 24	9.60 pCi/L	114
Gator Wilderness Camp School	Punta Gorda, FL	11 of 11	9.39 pCi/L	44
Monterey Rural Water System Inc.	Monterey, LA	50 of 59	9.39 pCi/L	5,250
Cady Brook Crossing Condominiums	Charlton, MA	2 of 2	9.37 pCi/L	75
Tempe Water Supply Corporation 1	Livingston, TX	45 of 49	9.34 pCi/L	1,897
Holbrook Center Soft Wa	La Junta, CO	12 of 12	9.01 pCi/L	51
Ranch Water Service Inc.	Kingman, AZ	21 of 24	8.79 pCi/L	135
Perry County Public Water Supply District 1	Perryville, MO	20 of 20	8.52 pCi/L	1,970
Welch Public Works Authority	Welch, OK	21 of 21	8.47 pCi/L	800
Cassandra Water System	Moriaty, NM	21 of 21	8.38 pCi/L	34
Tanglewood Forest Subdivision	Livingston, TX	12 of 12	8.31 pCi/L	73
Hillsdale Garden Apartments	Hudson, NY	1 of 1	8.30 pCi/L	40
Glenwood	Glenwood, GA	6 of 6	8.27 pCi/L	742
Winona	Winona, MN	28 of 28	8.26 pCi/L	27,782
Highland Court	Hillsborough, TX	24 of 24	8.21 pCi/L	90
Diamond Valley Acres	St George, UT	3 of 3	8.10 pCi/L	1,340
Big Plains Sw Special Service District - Cedar Point	Apple Valley, UT	9 of 9	8.04 pCi/L	232
Northwoods S/d	Eatonton, GA	7 of 8	7.90 pCi/L	120
Allouez Waterworks	Green Bay, WI	2 of 2	7.89 pCi/L	13,932
Rochelle Water Supply Corporation	Rochelle, TX	23 of 24	7.63 pCi/L	372
Jackson, Village of	Emerson, NE	3 of 3	7.61 pCi/L	230
Md#07 Marina View Heights	Madera, CA	1 of 1	7.60 pCi/L	200
Hillcrest Commons-rear Section	Schenectady, NY	1 of 1	7.60 pCi/L	42

* This water utility supplies finished drinking water to at least one other water utility. The purchasing utility is not required to test for or report Radium, combined (-226 & -228), but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.

Utility	Location	Tests	Average level	People served
Buffalo Grove	Buffalo Grove, IL	1 of 1	12.83 pCi/L	41,266
Gurnee	Gurnee, IL	1 of 1	11.72 pCi/L	31,284
Rolling Meadows	Rolling Meadows, IL	4 of 4	10.17 pCi/L	24,099
Winona	Winona, MN	28 of 28	8.26 pCi/L	27,782
Allouez Waterworks	Green Bay, WI	2 of 2	7.89 pCi/L	13,932
Round Lake Beach*	Round Lake Beach, IL	1 of 2	7.49 pCi/L	28,845
Andover	Andover, MN	28 of 33	7.15 pCi/L	20,485
Bellevue Waterworks	Green Bay, WI	1 of 2	7.08 pCi/L	15,365
Delta Charter Township	Otisville, MI	4 of 4	6.65 pCi/L	22,000
Franklin Water Utility	Franklin, WI	1 of 1	6.56 pCi/L	22,500
Mount Prospect	Mount Prospect, IL	3 of 3	6.39 pCi/L	41,492
Ashwaubenon Waterworks*	Green Bay, WI	3 of 3	6.38 pCi/L	17,730
Inver Grove Heights*	Inver Grove Heights, MN	7 of 7	6.27 pCi/L	34,189
Fort Dodge Water Supply*	Fort Dodge, IA	30 of 30	5.79 pCi/L	25,206
Waukesha Water Utility	Waukesha, WI	126 of 126	5.72 pCi/L	70,718
Otsego	Otsego, MN	38 of 44	5.50 pCi/L	11,500
Sussex Village Hall & Water Utility	Sussex, WI	88 of 90	5.31 pCi/L	10,573
Kaukauna Utilities	Kaukauna, WI	34 of 37	5.07 pCi/L	13,430
North Mankato	North Mankato, MN	14 of 14	5.00 pCi/L	13,462
Faribault	Faribault, MN	4 of 4	4.90 pCi/L	23,718
Perdido Bay Water, Sewer and Fire Protection Authority	Elberta, AL	7 of 7	4.86 pCi/L	10,824
Marion Municipal Water Department*	Marion, IA	13 of 13	4.53 pCi/L	34,610
Lakeville	Lakeville, MN	6 of 6	4.50 pCi/L	64,334
Galesburg*	Galesburg, IL	3 of 3	4.40 pCi/L	31,745
North Aurora	North Aurora, IL	20 of 22	4.34 pCi/L	17,500
De Pere Water Department	De Pere, WI	12 of 13	4.29 pCi/L	23,920
Streamwood	Streamwood, IL	4 of 4	4.26 pCi/L	40,351
Yorkville	Yorkville, IL	40 of 40	4.16 pCi/L	18,000
Brookfield Water Utility	Brookfield, WI	78 of 78	4.12 pCi/L	29,070
Michigan State University	East Lansing, MI	76 of 76	4.10 pCi/L	12,793
Fond Du Lac Waterworks	Fond Du Lac, WI	44 of 65	4.08 pCi/L	42,000
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority*	Pensacola, FL	15 of 15	4.07 pCi/L	255,884
Fayetteville*	Fayetteville, GA	2 of 2	4.05 pCi/L	15,281
Milan Water Department	Milan, TN	1 of 1	4.01 pCi/L	10,785
Burnsville*	Burnsville, MN	2 of 2	4.00 pCi/L	61,747
City of Laurinburg*	Laurinburg, NC	2 of 2	3.90 pCi/L	18,288
Waupun Utilities	Waupun, WI	17 of 17	3.87 pCi/L	11,340
South Saint Paul	South St. Paul, MN	17 of 18	3.86 pCi/L	20,400
Manchester Twp Water Utility - Eastern*	Manchester Twp, NJ	14 of 16	3.84 pCi/L	21,200
Darboy Sanitary District 1	Appleton, WI	18 of 19	3.82 pCi/L	12,000
Peru	Peru, IL	10 of 10	3.79 pCi/L	10,300
Epcor Water - Anthem*	Youngtown, AZ	2 of 2	3.75 pCi/L	25,302
Naval Air Station Pensacola / Corry Station	Nas Pensacola, FL	22 of 22	3.74 pCi/L	22,600
Manasquan Water Departme	Manasquan, NJ	2 of 2	3.73 pCi/L	14,000
City of Columbus	Columbus, NE	3 of 3	3.71 pCi/L	22,797
Aquarion Water Company of Connecticut - Valley System*	Bridgeport, CT	2 of 2	3.70 pCi/L	13,080
Minooka	Minooka, IL	26 of 26	3.70 pCi/L	11,307
Morris	Morris, IL	6 of 6	3.69 pCi/L	13,926
Howard Waterworks	Green Bay, WI	10 of 11	3.67 pCi/L	18,900
Barnegat Twp Water Sewer	Barnegat, NJ	12 of 12	3.66 pCi/L	20,000