100s of NC Utilities Have Radium Levels Above Health Guidelines

Public water systems serving 276,000 Americans in 27 states were found to have radium in amounts that exceeded the federal legal limit, according to an investigation published by the Environmental Working Group. These water systems exceeded the federal legal limit for combined radium-226 and radium-228 between 2010 and 2015, according to EWG.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s standard for combined radium-226 and radium-228 — the two most widespread radium isotopes — in drinking water is 5 picocuries per liter. The EPA’s standard was set in 1977 and was revised in 2000, according to a rule timeline posted to the EPA website.

Contamination is widespread in North Carolina, according to EWG. More than 700 utilities serving nearly 3 million people reported detectable levels of radium-226 and radium-228 combined. According to EWG, combined radium-226 and radium-228 was found to be above legal limits in 4 North Carolina utilities in serving nearly 1,000 people in the state.

“EPA sets limits for radionuclides, including radium, in public drinking water through the Safe Drinking Water Act,” EPA spokesperson Enesta Jones told Patch in an emailed statement in response to an inquiry about EWG’s findings. “Local water suppliers must follow these limits and are required to inform citizens about the level of radionuclides in their water.”

EWG says it mapped the nationwide occurrence of radium in tap water for almost 50,000 utilities. Between 2010 and 2015, EWG says it found that more than 22,000 utilities serving over 170 million people reported the presence of radium in their water at levels that may increase the risk of cancer.

EWG maintains that to more accurately assess the threat of radiation in U.S. tap water, it compared levels of contaminants reported by local utilities to public health goals set by the California Office of Environmental Hazard Assessment. While California’s public health goals are not legally enforceable limits, they are guidelines for levels of contaminants that pose only a minimal risk to health.

California’s goal for radium-226 is 0.05 picocuries per liter and for radium-228, the goal is 0.019 picocuries per liter.

Judging by that standard, 455 utilities serving about 1.6 million North Carolinians have radium-228 levels above health guidelines. EWG’s findings show 317 utilities serving about 1.35 million North Carolinians have radium-226 levels above health guidelines.

EWG says it included six radioactive contaminant in its tap water database, including radon, radium and uranium. The most widespread contaminants are radium-226 and radium-228, which contaminate tap water in every state, according to EWG.

Long-term exposure to low levels of radium is not harmful but exposure to higher levels of radium over a long period can lead to death and other severe health problems. Exposure to high levels of radium can lead to higher chances of bone, liver and breast cancer.

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With reporting by Feroze Dhonoa and Kara Seymour

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