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The Dangers of Uranium in Water

Uranium is a naturally-occurring radioactive element found in rocks, soil, air and plants on the planet. Throughout the country, uranium is commonly found in drinking water that comes from wells. There are certain health concerns with ingesting significant quantities of uranium that you should be aware of if you are in an area where it is commonly found in drinking water.

  1. Uranium in Water

    • Uranium can leak into well water if the bedrock that lines the well contains the element. If the soil surrounding the well contains uranium, it can become contaminated through the soil as well. Shallow bedrock wells are not as likely to contain traces of uranium because surface rocks do not commonly contain uranium. Uranium is more commonly found in drinking water in the western states in the U.S.

    Uranium Health Dangers

    • Ingesting small amounts of uranium is generally harmless to humans because it is naturally eliminated from the body. However, consistently ingesting water that contains high levels of uranium over time may cause kidney damage. High levels of uranium in drinking water has also been linked to cancer. These severe conditions tend to surface when large quantities of uranium-rich water are consumed over a lifetime.

    Uranium Level Standards

    • Public wells are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA-set limit for uranium in public wells is 30 micrograms per liter, which is determined to be a safe amount of uranium. Public water systems are also required to undergo testing four times per year to ensure that water is safe for drinking. If water is found to have high amounts of picocuries per liter, then further testing is done for uranium levels. Picocuries measure the amount of radioactivity per liter of water.

    Uranium Testing and Treatment

    • If you are concerned about the amounts of uranium in your drinking water, contact your local Department of Public Health and ask to have your water tested for uranium levels. Health officials may instruct you to test your water with an at-home testing kit that you can purchase through your local Department of Public Health. If your results prove to be high for uranium, you can purchase a reverse osmosis treatment system through your Department of Public Health to help filter your drinking water and make it safer for consumption. You can usually install these water treatment systems without the assistance of a trained professional.

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