Uranium
Status: National drinking water standard exists
Uranium is a known human carcinogen. The federal legal limit for uranium is set at 30 micrograms per liter (corresponding to parts per billion), but utilities can also report uranium in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), which is a measure of radioactivity in water. EWG translated all uranium results to pCi/L using a conversion factor developed by the EPA. With this conversion approach, the limit of 30 ppb corresponds to 20 pCi/L. Drinking water with this much uranium would cause more than 4.6 cancer cases in a population of 100,000. California set a public health goal for uranium of 0.43 pCi/L. Read More.
Multiple forms of uranium can be detected in water, including uranium-234, uranium-235 and uranium-238. Uranium-234 is the most toxic form of uranium for human health.
2012-2017:
45
states detected
8,188
utilities detected
85 million
people served
45
states over health guideline
6,699
utilities over health guideline
65 million
people served over health guideline
26
states over legal limit
137
utilities over legal limit
123,000
people served over legal limit
Health concerns for uranium
Cancer
Harm to the kidney
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.43 pCi/L
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.43 pCi/L for uranium was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. Three most common uranium isotopes are U-234, U-235 and U-238. All isotopes of uranium are radioactive, and the total radioactivity depends on the ratio of isotopes. This health guideline protects against cancer.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 20 pCi/L
pCi/L = picocuries per liter
States reporting uranium in drinking water
UTILITIES REPORTING ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES | UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Utilities | People Served | Utilities | People Served | |||
California | 889 | 28,641,895 | 924 | 29,988,478 | |||
Texas | 992 | 7,261,580 | 1,102 | 10,932,143 | |||
Florida | 111 | 4,011,267 | 228 | 7,745,178 | |||
Arizona | 102 | 5,084,807 | 105 | 5,136,855 | |||
New York | 273 | 955,503 | 483 | 3,914,520 | |||
New Jersey | 84 | 2,047,959 | 122 | 3,884,931 | |||
Colorado | 319 | 1,922,306 | 412 | 3,848,495 | |||
Nevada | 153 | 2,564,986 | 158 | 2,566,706 | |||
Pennsylvania | 275 | 1,869,863 | 377 | 2,288,701 | |||
New Mexico | 453 | 1,701,317 | 466 | 1,784,918 | |||
Indiana | 42 | 1,272,406 | 64 | 1,459,015 | |||
Utah | 42 | 1,405,065 | 47 | 1,424,840 | |||
Louisiana | 23 | 943,196 | 73 | 1,369,847 | |||
Wisconsin | 86 | 716,703 | 238 | 1,326,855 | |||
Idaho | 379 | 953,057 | 433 | 1,036,104 | |||
Oklahoma | 274 | 730,375 | 315 | 861,129 | |||
Hawaii | 1 | 1,760 | 5 | 694,534 | |||
Missouri | 30 | 71,715 | 58 | 454,399 | |||
North Carolina | 337 | 149,364 | 409 | 453,536 | |||
Montana | 392 | 341,295 | 399 | 359,102 | |||
Oregon | 70 | 111,602 | 83 | 349,620 | |||
Maine | 111 | 92,748 | 138 | 328,558 | |||
Connecticut | 200 | 77,790 | 229 | 327,511 | |||
Wyoming | 137 | 289,703 | 135 | 314,900 | |||
Kansas | 55 | 309,507 | 55 | 309,507 | |||
North Dakota | 157 | 133,934 | 193 | 297,038 | |||
Nebraska | 114 | 284,002 | 114 | 284,067 | |||
New Hampshire | 286 | 107,382 | 375 | 267,231 | |||
Maryland | 8 | 158,273 | 8 | 158,273 | |||
Minnesota | 20 | 148,322 | 22 | 150,612 | |||
South Carolina | 59 | 123,578 | 60 | 127,245 | |||
Georgia | 48 | 42,645 | 51 | 86,319 | |||
Illinois | 5 | 27,383 | 28 | 67,461 | |||
Kentucky | 4 | 13,335 | 11 | 64,908 | |||
Michigan | 4 | 3,675 | 12 | 45,968 | |||
Iowa | 31 | 43,038 | 35 | 44,843 | |||
Mississippi | 2 | 2,167 | 20 | 43,891 | |||
Virginia | 20 | 6,970 | 43 | 37,681 | |||
Alaska | 5 | 1,719 | 36 | 36,286 | |||
Massachusetts | 24 | 10,729 | 27 | 31,129 | |||
South Dakota | 26 | 19,414 | 28 | 19,500 | |||
Vermont | 34 | 12,222 | 40 | 13,991 | |||
Washington | 12 | 10,644 | 16 | 11,746 | |||
West Virginia | 2 | 2,300 | 3 | 5,002 | |||
Rhode Island | 8 | 1,232 | 8 | 1,232 |
Filtering technologies that reduce uranium

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange
Utilities with the highest amounts of uranium, 2012-2017
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
Crawford* | Crawford, GA | 5 of 5 | 69.27 pCi/L | 1,170 |
Glen Acres Water Co-op | Lordsburg, NM | 24 of 24 | 64.35 pCi/L | 185 |
Alto | Alto, GA | 14 of 14 | 62.37 pCi/L | 2,545 |
Sierra Linda Mutual Water Company | North Fork, CA | 5 of 5 | 61.60 pCi/L | 180 |
Oconee Springs Landing S/d | Atlanta, GA | 1 of 1 | 60.00 pCi/L | 351 |
South Kingstown Nursing and Rehabilitati | West Kingston, RI | 6 of 6 | 58.18 pCi/L | 175 |
Meadow Lakes Subdivision | Crawford, GA | 3 of 3 | 58.00 pCi/L | 81 |
Sierra Cedars Community Services District | Clovis, CA | 2 of 2 | 57.50 pCi/L | 875 |
Riviera WCID | Riviera, TX | 32 of 32 | 53.77 pCi/L | 729 |
Hillview Water Company-oakhurst/sierra Lakes* | Oakhurst, CA | 165 of 166 | 51.32 pCi/L | 2,805 |
Broadview Terrace Mutual Water Company | Oakhurst, CA | 165 of 166 | 51.32 pCi/L | 510 |
Strawberry Fields Mobile Home Park | Plant City, FL | 23 of 23 | 50.27 pCi/L | 250 |
Shady Oaks Mobile Home Park LLC | Cloivs, CA | 2 of 2 | 50.13 pCi/L | 40 |
Md#07 Marina View Heights | Madera, CA | 6 of 6 | 50.03 pCi/L | 200 |
East Three Rivers Mutual | Three Rivers, CA | 4 of 4 | 49.75 pCi/L | 28 |
Molena | Molena, GA | 3 of 3 | 45.00 pCi/L | 467 |
Hillview Water Co-raymond | Oakhurst, CA | 54 of 54 | 44.63 pCi/L | 294 |
Benkelman, City of | Benkelman, NE | 4 of 4 | 44.25 pCi/L | 600 |
Md#06 Lake Shore Park | Madera, CA | 10 of 10 | 44.13 pCi/L | 130 |
Pecan Grove Mobile Home Park | San Antonio, TX | 16 of 16 | 42.13 pCi/L | 81 |
Byram Hmwnrs Association Water | Phillipsburg, NJ | 10 of 11 | 41.96 pCi/L | 400 |
White Plains | White Plains, GA | 16 of 21 | 41.83 pCi/L | 398 |
Dial Water System | Oxford, GA | 2 of 2 | 39.50 pCi/L | 621 |
Buttonwillow County Water District | Buttonwillow, CA | 4 of 4 | 39.20 pCi/L | 1,266 |
Csa 70-f Morongo | Victorville, CA | 58 of 58 | 38.33 pCi/L | 450 |
Mitchells Camp Family Association | Palo Verde, CA | 2 of 2 | 36.95 pCi/L | 175 |
Daggett Community Services District | Daggett, CA | 6 of 6 | 35.55 pCi/L | 795 |
Knoll Enterprises | Ludlow, CA | 21 of 21 | 35.13 pCi/L | 500 |
Rosamond Mobilehome Park | Tustin, CA | 24 of 24 | 34.96 pCi/L | 175 |
Sheridan Lake Water Company | Sheridan Lake, CO | 4 of 4 | 34.84 pCi/L | 80 |
Rainbird Valley Mutual Water Company | Weldon, CA | 38 of 38 | 34.21 pCi/L | 188 |
175 Estates | Moultonborough, NH | 1 of 1 | 34.17 pCi/L | 110 |
Queen's Inn By The River | Oakhurst, CA | 5 of 9 | 34.11 pCi/L | 50 |
Poland Place Condo Association | Poland, ME | 10 of 17 | 33.89 pCi/L | 35 |
Merino, Town of | Fort Collins, CO | 7 of 7 | 33.02 pCi/L | 235 |
Azzie Manor Hfa | Petersburg, VA | 2 of 2 | 32.96 pCi/L | 39 |
Rocky Ford Water Company Inc. | Manhattan, KS | 5 of 5 | 32.81 pCi/L | 52 |
River Bluff Subdivision | Watkinsville, GA | 14 of 14 | 32.44 pCi/L | 101 |
Valley Estates Water & Sewer Association | Fairview, NM | 25 of 25 | 31.44 pCi/L | 185 |
Antelope Peak Domestic Water Improvement District | Chandler, AZ | 37 of 39 | 31.34 pCi/L | 150 |
Santa Cruz Water Association | Santa Cruz, NM | 60 of 60 | 31.32 pCi/L | 420 |
Eagles Nest Estates | Chadron, NE | 3 of 3 | 31.23 pCi/L | 52 |
East Ridge Mobile Home Park | Waldoboro, ME | 6 of 6 | 30.83 pCi/L | 100 |
Guatay Mutual Benefit Corporation | Guatay, CA | 32 of 32 | 30.71 pCi/L | 100 |
Rio Brazos Water System | Choctaw, TX | 24 of 24 | 30.32 pCi/L | 108 |
Terrytown, City of | Gering, NE | 1 of 1 | 30.00 pCi/L | 2,144 |
Grubs Water Supply | Justiceburg, TX | 21 of 21 | 29.88 pCi/L | 350 |
Beverly, City of | Beverly, KS | 14 of 14 | 29.56 pCi/L | 159 |
Sun Leisure Estates Utilities Company | Yuma, AZ | 20 of 20 | 29.21 pCi/L | 143 |
Md#42 Still Meadow | Madera, CA | 7 of 7 | 29.18 pCi/L | 100 |
* 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 Uranium, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.
Utility | Location | Tests | Average level | People served |
---|---|---|---|---|
City of Scottsbluff* | Scottsbluff, NE | 18 of 18 | 23.42 pCi/L | 15,030 |
Warrington Twp Water&sew Dept | Warrington, PA | 25 of 25 | 20.34 pCi/L | 18,400 |
City of Sanger | Sanger, CA | 1 of 1 | 19.00 pCi/L | 25,664 |
City of Lexington | Lexington, NE | 14 of 14 | 16.44 pCi/L | 10,230 |
Midvale City Water System | West Valley, UT | 17 of 17 | 15.52 pCi/L | 33,000 |
City of North Platte* | North Platte, NE | 9 of 9 | 15.39 pCi/L | 25,000 |
City of Grand Island* | Grand Island, NE | 22 of 22 | 15.20 pCi/L | 51,440 |
White City WID | Salt Lake City, UT | 5 of 5 | 13.63 pCi/L | 15,800 |
Mission Springs WD | Desert Hot Springs, CA | 196 of 197 | 12.73 pCi/L | 34,626 |
Carson City Public Works* | Carson City, NV | 841 of 843 | 12.71 pCi/L | 56,000 |
City of Garden City* | Garden City, KS | 7 of 7 | 12.63 pCi/L | 27,004 |
Centerville City Water System | Centerville, UT | 9 of 9 | 12.50 pCi/L | 16,000 |
Desert Water Agency | Palm Springs, CA | 49 of 49 | 11.94 pCi/L | 83,710 |
Murray City Water System* | Magna, UT | 7 of 7 | 11.77 pCi/L | 36,000 |
Meridian Water Department | Meridian, ID | 67 of 77 | 11.64 pCi/L | 98,300 |
Twentynine Palms Water District | Twentynine Palms, CA | 40 of 40 | 11.58 pCi/L | 18,600 |
City of Hereford | Hereford, TX | 14 of 14 | 11.42 pCi/L | 15,370 |
South Adams County Water and Sanitation District | Commerce City, CO | 18 of 18 | 11.05 pCi/L | 51,465 |
Dona Ana MDWCA | Dona Ana, NM | 9 of 9 | 10.87 pCi/L | 11,214 |
City of Dodge City | Dodge City, KS | 2 of 2 | 10.80 pCi/L | 28,117 |
Farmington City Water System | Ogden, UT | 3 of 3 | 10.52 pCi/L | 21,500 |
City of Midland | Midland, TX | 2 of 2 | 9.88 pCi/L | 132,950 |
Espanola Water System* | Espanola, NM | 11 of 11 | 9.81 pCi/L | 10,495 |
City of Liberal | Liberal, KS | 1 of 1 | 9.80 pCi/L | 21,012 |
City of Kearney | Kearney, NE | 21 of 21 | 9.79 pCi/L | 30,919 |
Global Water - Santa Cruz Water Company | Maricopa, AZ | 90 of 92 | 9.72 pCi/L | 17,005 |
East Pasadena Water Company | Pasadena, CA | 12 of 12 | 9.60 pCi/L | 10,978 |
City of Corcoran | Corcoran, CA | 1 of 1 | 9.20 pCi/L | 24,813 |
City of Hastings* | Hastings, NE | 20 of 20 | 9.14 pCi/L | 25,224 |
City of Madera | Madera, CA | 1 of 1 | 9.10 pCi/L | 63,105 |
City of Ceres | Ceres, CA | 213 of 213 | 9.02 pCi/L | 42,666 |
City of Adelanto | Adelanto, CA | 7 of 8 | 8.98 pCi/L | 31,765 |
Northwest Park MUD | Houston, TX | 6 of 6 | 8.86 pCi/L | 17,406 |
Golden State Water Company - West Orange | Anaheim, CA | 22 of 22 | 8.62 pCi/L | 114,016 |
Riverside Highland Water Company | Grand Terrace, CA | 8 of 8 | 8.61 pCi/L | 14,500 |
Sandy City Water System* | Sandy, UT | 25 of 25 | 8.56 pCi/L | 99,750 |
Burbank Water Department | Burbank, CA | 1 of 1 | 8.40 pCi/L | 105,543 |
City of Kuna | Kuna, ID | 20 of 22 | 8.38 pCi/L | 19,700 |
Sunny Slope Water Company | Pasadena, CA | 5 of 6 | 8.32 pCi/L | 32,427 |
City of Modesto | Modesto, CA | 1772 of 1,840 | 8.17 pCi/L | 212,000 |
City of Garden Grove | Garden Grove, CA | 27 of 27 | 8.14 pCi/L | 170,883 |
Mustang | Mustang, OK | 2 of 2 | 8.07 pCi/L | 15,435 |
Ventura Water Department | Ventura, CA | 39 of 39 | 7.86 pCi/L | 112,677 |
City of Riverside* | Riverside, CA | 311 of 311 | 7.83 pCi/L | 303,871 |
Guymon | Guymon, OK | 10 of 10 | 7.83 pCi/L | 11,442 |
West Kern Water District | Taft, CA | 20 of 21 | 7.81 pCi/L | 21,181 |
Waterpro Inc | Lehi, UT | 1 of 1 | 7.77 pCi/L | 28,000 |
California Water Service Company - Hermosa / Redondo Beach | San Jose, CA | 7 of 9 | 7.75 pCi/L | 95,605 |
South Orange Water Department | South Orange, NJ | 1 of 1 | 7.66 pCi/L | 16,964 |
Calif State Polytechnical Univ - Pomona | Pomona, CA | 2 of 2 | 7.53 pCi/L | 24,880 |
* 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 Uranium, but it likely has the contaminant in its water supply.