Radon in CT and throughout the country comes from the natural decay of uranium. It is important to test for radon in water because the radon in your water supply poses both an inhalation risk and an ingestion risk.
Uranium is an element that can be found in almost all soils, and also in rocks and water. When the radioactive material in soil or rock decays, it produces radon gas. The radioactive decay of uranium is a slow process. Over time, the soil will releases radon gas directly into the atmosphere.
Groundwater can also carry radon away from the location where it was produced and into water supply’s. Unfortunately, sometimes when wells are drilled in CT, they hit sources of naturally occurring radon.
Radon is a radioactive gas that causes cancer. You cannot see, smell, nor taste radon in air or water. Breathing radon in indoor air can cause lung cancer. Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe air that has radon. These radioactive particles release small amounts of energy as they continue to break down over time. This damages lung tissue and increases your chances of getting lung cancer especially if you are a smoker.
The United States Surgeon General’s Office and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have estimated that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer (cigarette smoking is the #1 cause of lung cancer). If you smoke cigarettes and your home has high radon levels, then your risk of lung cancer is especially high!
It is estimated that only about 2% of radon in the air actually comes from water that has radon in it. Even though this percentage is small, it still increases the existing levels of air radon in the home. Moreover, some amount of radon stays in the water when it flows from the faucets, tubs, showers, etc.
Radon test company offering testing services in your area can help you determine for sure what the levels of radon are in your drinking water to ensure the water’s quality for consumption.
Drinking water that has radon in it can increase your risk of developing cancer in your internal organs, mainly stomach cancer. Based on a National Academy of Science report, the EPA estimates that radon in drinking water causes about 168 cancer deaths per year: 89% from lung cancer caused by breathing radon released to the indoor air from water, and 11% from stomach cancer caused by consuming water containing radon.
Research has shown that your risk of lung cancer from breathing radon in air, is much larger than your risk of stomach cancer from swallowing water with radon in it. Most of your risk from radon in water comes from the radon released into the air when water is run from a faucet, tub, shower, laundry, or other household plumbing.
Radon is not a concern in water that comes from Connecticut lakes, rivers, and reservoirs (called surface water), because that radon is released into the air before it ever arrives at your water plumbing pipes and faucets. High levels of radon in water can occur in ground water sources, such as, private wells or public water supply systems that use ground water.
Some public water systems treat their water to reduce radon levels before it is delivered to homes in the local community. If you are concerned that radon may be entering your home through the water, whether through a private well or public water supply, have it tested for peace of mind.
To have a radon in water test done on your CT home, call our water test specialists today.
