Radon In Water

Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, is a silent intruder that can enter our homes uninvited and unnoticed, posing severe health risks. While most people know radon's presence in the air, its solubility in water and the dangers it presents in our water supply are often overlooked.

This blog post delves into the critical issue of radon contamination in water, exploring how this harmful gas finds its way into our drinking water and the associated health hazards. By understanding the pathways through which radon enters water systems and the levels of risk involved, we can better protect ourselves and our families from its potentially harmful effects.

 Radon gas can accumulate and contaminate underground water sources (called groundwater). Radon from lakes, rivers, and reservoirs (called surface water) is of much less concern.

Most radon is released from the water into the atmosphere before it enters the distribution system. Most people don't know that radon is soluble in water and is found in every water well in North America. When water that contains radon is run for showering, washing dishes, cooking, and other uses, radon gas escapes from the water and is introduced back into the air. Some radon also stays in the water. Like radon in the air, it's impossible to know the concentration of radon in your water until you test; the higher the concentration of radon in the water, the higher the exposure risk in the home. 

Radon can be a concern if your drinking water comes from a well that draws from an underground source. If you get your water from a public water system that serves 25 or more year-round residents, you will receive an annual water quality report. These water quality reports include information on what is in your water, including radon if it has been tested.

The EPA suggests that 1-2% of the radon in water contributes to the radon in air concentration. This is questioned by some as it looks at the total air volume in the home to determine this number. The question to this theory is that we don't always live in the total volume of air, and at certain times, like having a shower, doing dishes, or laundry, we could be living in a small portion of the total volume that would have a much higher concentration of radon during the time of these activities.

Breathing radon increases the risk of lung cancer throughout your lifetime. Some radon stays in the water; drinking water containing radon is said to possibly present a risk of developing internal organ cancers, primarily stomach cancer. However, this risk is smaller than developing lung cancer from radon released into the air from tap water.

If your home utilizes a public water system, generally, the risk is very low as the water is treated at the public facility before it is piped into our homes. This is part of the Safe Drinking Water Act set forth by the EPA in 1974 to protect public health. Standards were established and are still followed by 150,000 public water systems to provide safe drinking water. 

However, about 10% of the US Population relies on private well water. The EPA suggests mitigation on well water tests over 4000 pCi/l in the water. 

Radon is soluble in water but prefers to be a gas; this is a significant reason why it is dangerous in our water. All the water-fed appliances in your home, your faucet taps, and showers agitate and aerate the water. Showering, washing clothes, flushing toilets, by doing these regular daily tasks, all the radon in your well water is released back into its gas form and breathed in like radon in the air. 

Radon concentrations can be measured by the volume of air or water, and Continuous Radon Monitors and Indoor Air Quality Monitors like Lüft engineered by SunRADON can be very helpful.

Lüft's patented radon detector technology counts the radioactive alpha activity in a known air volume. The device will report hourly data via a mobile application, and the LED  indicator on the product will change color (Red - Alert, Yellow-Warning, Green-Ok)  depending on the amount of radon in your home air. If you suspect that radon is being distributed from your well water, plug luft into an outlet in a laundry room or an area of the home with high water usage; you can see spikes in the radon levels when water is being used. Try running a washing cycle (45min-1 hr) with Lüft operating nearby to receive notification of a change in radon levels in the air. 

This radon gas survey can indicate the possibility of radon in well water. Still, it's always recommended to get a radon-in-water test kit and send that sample to a radon testing laboratory to find out the exact concentration in your well water. The test should be collected and mailed the same day, following the instructions included in the sampling kit.

Most kits will request overnight shipping to be received the next business day and not on or over a  weekend. Kits must include a submission form with recorded sample times and dates for proper analysis. Reports will be provided after testing has been completed. 

Granular activated carbon(GAC) absorption and aeration are two primary methods of removing radon from water. GAC acts as a filter, and radon is attracted or absorbed onto the surface of the carbon.

Removing radon by aeration can be accomplished by installing Airwell®.  Airwell® is a unique patented down-the-well mitigation system for dissolved gasses. It is the only system on the market offering an at-the-wellhead solution providing a 92%-99% reduction in radon, sulfur, and methane (third-party validated by the University of Georgia). The Airwell® is virtually maintenance-free and requires no retrofits or space used in the home. Airwell® works alongside any current or future water treatment system and does not affect a constant pressure system or the well pump. 

The system starts with Sanitized, 1 inch schedule 40 PVC pipe placed all the way to the bottom of the well in 10 foot flush joint sections. A specialized active section is attached and sits approximately 40 feet below static water level as a section on the riser pipe. A low voltage compressor inside the driver box pushes air to the active section causing aeration above the active while pulling water from the bottom of the well up to the aeration section. This allows for the aeration of the entire well column which efficiently and reliably removes 92%-99% of dissolved gasses from the well such as radon, sulfur, and methane.

In conclusion, radon in water is a significant health concern that requires attention and action. The risks associated with radon in water are real and multifaceted, from its entry into our homes through groundwater to releasing radon gas during everyday water usage.

At the same time, public water systems are generally safe due to stringent EPA regulations, and private well owners need to be particularly vigilant. Testing for radon in water, understanding the levels of danger, and implementing effective mitigation techniques like the Airwell® system are crucial steps in ensuring the safety of our drinking water. By being informed and proactive, we can safeguard our health against the hidden dangers of radon in water.