Excessive Levels Of Radium Found In 4 Michigan Water Systems

LANSING, MI – Four water utilities in Michigan have been found to have radium levels in excess of the legal limit allowed by federal law, according an environmental and health organization. The organization also found that hundreds of local water utilities, while in compliance with federal guidelines, had radium levels above standards considered healthy.

Radium is a radioactive element that can cause bone cancer and other cancers. The element occurs naturally in groundwater, and oil and gas extraction activities such as hydraulic fracturing can elevate concentrations. Federal law allows up to 5 picocuries per liter of combined radium-226 and radium-228, the two most common forms of radium, in tap water. Picocuries per liter is a unit of measure used to express the results of radioactivity tests in air and water.

The Environmental Working Group, which is based in Washington, D.C., looked at data for water utilities across the nation. The data came from annual reports from 2010 to 2015. The reports showed these four water utilities, all in central Michigan, had radium levels above the 5 picocuries per liter limit:

• Delta Charter Township
• Village of Chesaning
• Pine Haven Estates
• Parkwood Village

The four utilities' water is distributed to some 24,500 customers, according to the Environmental Working Group's data.

Additionally, the organization 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.

By that standard, 614 utilities serving more than 5 million people in Michigan have radium-226 levels above health guidelines, and 557 utilities serving more than 5 million people have radium-228 levels above health guidelines.

You can explore the makeup of your water supply by visiting the orgnaization's Tap Water Database and putting in your ZIP code.

Nationwide, 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.

Texas has the most widespread contamination, according to the organization. More than 3,500 utilities serving over 22 million people reported detectable levels of radium-226 and radium-228 combined. According to the group, combined radium-226 and radium-228 was found to be above legal limits in 37 utilities serving 24,637 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 the group'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 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.

Image via Shutterstock