Water Treatment Solutions in Somers, NY

Uranium is a naturally occurring element in groundwater in some portions of Connecticut. However, there needs to be more information on where uranium is commonly found. Uranium gets into drinking water when groundwater dissolves minerals that contain uranium. The amount of uranium in well water will vary depending on its bedrock concentration. However, even within areas with bedrock types containing uranium, there is a large degree of variation within relatively small areas. Levels of naturally occurring radiation in water are not likely to be high in shallow wells. The potential exists for deep bedrock wells in Connecticut to have uranium, although most will be very low. High levels of uranium indicate the potential for radon and radium to be present.

Naturally occurring uranium has very low levels of radioactivity. However, the chemical properties of uranium in drinking water are of a more significant concern than its radioactivity. Most ingested uranium is eliminated from the body. However, a small amount is absorbed and carried through the bloodstream. Studies show that drinking water with elevated levels of uranium can affect the kidneys over time. Bathing and showering with water that contains uranium is not a health concern.

The new federal standard, known as the maximum contaminant level (or MCL), for uranium in public water supplies is 30 mg/l (roughly equivalent to 30 pico Curies per liter). The testing and treatment requirements under this federal standard apply only to public water systems servicing residential populations and not to private home wells or public facilities such as schools that are not residences. Private well owners are not required to follow this standard. Still, following the recommendations below, you can protect your family's health. If your water test comes back with uranium results greater than 30 mg/l, you should seek treatment for your water. However, since results can vary widely from season to season, it is prudent to re-test whenever the results are above 10 mg/l. While water treatment is strongly recommended only at confirmed levels of 30 mg/l or higher, some individuals on private wells may choose to increase their safety margin and treat water that contains lower levels (e.g., 10-30 mg/l). If you follow the screening protocol described above, you will also have gross alpha and radium results to evaluate. It is best to compare these results to current standards for public water supplies. The current federal standard (MCL) for adjusted gross alpha (includes radiation from radium but excludes radiation from radon and uranium) in public water supplies is 15 pCi/l. The current federal MCL for combined radium 226 and radium 228 in public water supplies is 5 pCi/l. 

Water treatment systems can effectively remove uranium from drinking water. Two standard methods are reverse osmosis and ion exchange. Reverse osmosis works by forcing water to filter through a membrane that prevents the uranium from passing through; this membrane should be replaced every 2 to 3 years. Ion exchange passes water through a system that replaces uranium with a safer compound. Both methods usually involve maintenance, including backwashing. Both methods include costs and disposal systems that must be investigated carefully before choosing a system. Both systems also require periodic monitoring of the treated water to ensure they are working correctly.