|  | Diet Nutrition | Healthy Diets

What are Acceptable Radon Levels in Water?

When home buyers consider a new house, they may worry about whether the house has a radon gas problem. The seller may have had the house checked for radon gas levels coming from the rocks underneath the house, but rarely do sellers or buyers consider the possibility that the water source for the house may be contaminated with radon as well.

  1. What is Radon?

    • Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that also happens to be radioactive. It is created by the decay of uranium, and it is present in some rocks in the earth's crust. The biggest threat that radon poses to humans is that it can cause lung cancer when inhaled over a long period of time. If radon gas builds up in a house built over radon-emitting rocks, it can be a health hazard. But radon also is found in water.

    Radon in Groundwater

    • Groundwater that seeps through granite rock or granite sands can have dissolved radon gas in it. If the water source for your house is a well, the water could have radon gas in it. When you turn on a faucet, and particularly when you take a shower, the radon gas in the water can become dispersed in the air, and you may breathe it in. Most of the time, there will not be enough radon in the water to cause health problems, but if the concentration of radon is great enough, it could be a cause for concern.

    Measuring Radon in Water and Air

    • Radon gas is measured in picocuries per liter. A picocurie is a unit of radioactivity. It takes 10,000 picocuries per liter (pCi/l) to create 1 pCi/l in the air. If you have 4 pCi/l of radon gas in your air, you have a problem. You should consider mitigating the radon in your water or switching to a different water source, such as surface water, which is almost never contaminated with radon.

    How Much is Safe?

    • Scientists have different opinions about the amount of radon that should be considered hazardous in water. Some put the level as low as 5,000 pCi/l, whereas others say that there's no danger until it reaches 20,000pCi/l. The average groundwater in the United States has only about 353 pCi/l, yet some scientists have said that the limit should be 300 pCi/l. The best solution probably is to test the air in your home. If the air has radon levels of 2 pCi/l or more, there is reason for concern, and you should consider ventilating your home.

Healthy Diets - Related Articles