water test

[Kim Renner Busey]

Can anyone help me figure this out?

[MonikaC]

"Most drinking water sources have very low levels of alpha radiation and are not considered to be a health concern. Levels at or less than 5 pCi/ do not even require further testing.  This level is comparable to having one x-ray." as per ATS Environmental

For gross beta: "It should be noted that the California standard specifies that the MCL for grossbeta/photon particle activity is 50 pCi/L."  as per California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

[Tom P on Ranch]

Kim, I agree with Monika. These do not look bad. Not an expert, but did some research a few years ago and consulted my notes which indicated Gross Alpha Maximum Contaminant Level is 15 pCi/L

[Kim Renner Busey]

Sorry, this is not my strong suit. So does this mean that my water is ok to drink with no further action required??

[Linda B]

The letter that Boulder County sent out said that the EPA limits are: gross alpha 15 pCi/L and gross beta 50 pCi/L.  Congratulations!  Your results are good.

[Julia]

Reverse osmosis water filters for under your sink are often less than $200 on Amazon and will take out, I think, radioactive elements as well as lead and fluoride. You can add mineral drops if you like or use a remineralization cartridge too. One of our local water experts can confirm.

I need to replace the 20 micron filter every month, due to iron, but it’s not expensive. The other filters last from 6 months to 2 years, depending.

FYI, when I tested our water 20 years ago, we had 3 times the recommended amount of fluoride and some lead, which is not safe for children in any amount.

---

In case it’s helpful, I have this one, but there are tankless versions too and other neighbors have APEC brand and like them also.

https://www.amazon.com/iSpring-RCC7AK-Ca...151&sr=8-5

[calbeartara]

Hi,
When we tested 2 1/2 years ago, ours were 32.3 (alpha) and 10.3 (beta). Well is at 500’ (in bar-k). We use a RO called water drop (tankless) and it works great. Way easier to change the filters than the previous system we had which had a tank.

As for those numbers, sounds like an outlier. Maybe request a second test to confirm?

—tara

   

[Tom P on Ranch]

If anyone wants a referral to the small company that did our treatment system I’m happy to get you in touch. They have done a few in the neighborhood and I’ve only heard good things.

[MonikaC]

Just a few houses away from Kim & across the road.
   

[joeryan80481]

Bar-K residents,

I'm a professor in the Environmental Engineering Program at UC Boulder -- and a neighbor; Martha Russo and I live across from Rock Lake.
I teach undergrad and grad courses in Water Chemistry and Environmental Organic Chemistry.  My research specialty is the "fate and transport of contaminants in natural water" and over the years, I've run a few outreach and research projects addressing water quality in the Left Hand Creek watershed.  I have been very interested in Boulder County's recent letters about uranium and radioactivity in our groundwater.
I'd be glad to pitch in about anyone's concerns, here on the BB or by email (joeryan80481@gmail.com).

One item I'd start with is to be cautious about getting water quality analysis results from a company that also sells water treatment equipment -- I'd want the water quality results from an entity that doesn't do the treatment.
Another item is getting water quality tests after installing treatment like reverse osmosis (RO) or other filtration to see that the treatment is actually making the water safe to drink.
Finally, if you do get some treatment system, make sure you maintain it (e.g., change the filters) as recommended.

Joe Ryan
www.colorado.edu/even/faculty/joseph-ryan

[DebAllen]

Bar-K residents,

I'm a professor in the Environmental Engineering Program at UC Boulder -- and a neighbor; Martha Russo and I live across from Rock Lake.
I teach undergrad and grad courses in Water Chemistry and Environmental Organic Chemistry.  My research specialty is the "fate and transport of contaminants in natural water" and over the years, I've run a few outreach and research projects addressing water quality in the Left Hand Creek watershed.  I have been very interested in Boulder County's recent letters about uranium and radioactivity in our groundwater.
I'd be glad to pitch in about anyone's concerns, here on the BB or by email (joeryan80481@gmail.com).

One item I'd start with is to be cautious about getting water quality analysis results from a company that also sells water treatment equipment -- I'd want the water quality results from an entity that doesn't do the treatment.
Another item is getting water quality tests after installing treatment like reverse osmosis (RO) or other filtration to see that the treatment is actually making the water safe to drink.
Finally, if you do get some treatment system, make sure you maintain it (e.g., change the filters) as recommended.

Joe Ryan
www.colorado.edu/even/faculty/joseph-ryan

Hi Joe, Thanks for the info. Who would you recommend for water testing?
Debbie

[joeryan80481]

Debbie, 

At https://bouldercounty.gov/environment/wa...r-testing/, Boulder County Health recommends three commercial labs for testing of radioactivity in water -- screenshot attached.
I have seen results from Hazen Research, but not from the other two.  I would go with Hazen because they appear to do just analysis, not treatment, whereas the other two companies do both, and I always get just a bit concerned about a company doing analyses that might lead to a treatment recommendation that they are selling.

Joe

[DebAllen]

Debbie, 

At https://bouldercounty.gov/environment/wa...r-testing/, Boulder County Health recommends three commercial labs for testing of radioactivity in water -- screenshot attached.
I have seen results from Hazen Research, but not from the other two.  I would go with Hazen because they appear to do just analysis, not treatment, whereas the other two companies do both, and I always get just a bit concerned about a company doing analyses that might lead to a treatment recommendation that they are selling.

Joe

Thank you!!

[joeryan80481]

Neighbors,

I contacted Boulder County Public Health last week to get some more details about their encouragement to test for radioactive compounds in our groundwater, and I got some useful info from Carl Job, Water Quality Specialist.  

For those with concentrations of radiation or radioactive elements above the drinking water standards, Carl Jobs recommended installation of reverse osmosis (RO) systems with "ANSI/NSF 53 certification."  I just saw one system recommended on the BB, and the manufacturer (Brondell) claims that their system (the Circle)"...is tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 58, and 372."  Based on this explanation of the NSF/ANSI certification, it looks like NSF/ANSI 53 and 58 would be important for the removal of radioactive elements by reverse osmosis.

Carl Jobs also passed along some additional info from the US EPA about elevated levels of radon in drinking water.  Radon is one of the three main radioactive elements that may be in our groundwater -- uranium, radium, and radon.  Radon is unique among these three because it's a gas at room temperature, which means it will tend to volatilize out of the water and into the air.  There has been a lot of attention paid to radon in air -- it can seep into our homes from the surrounding soil/rocks and should not exceed a concentration of 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L).  The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment offers free test kits to measure radon in the air.

Because the big concern about radon is inhalation from the air in our homes, not ingestion of drinking water, EPA's recommendations for radon removal from water focus on treatment they refer to as "point of entry" -- removing the radon from water before it comes into our home water systems using aeration or activated carbon absorption.  And the concentration for which they recommend such treatment is quite high, although not officially cited as a standard -- 300 pCi/L -- because that high concentration in the water could result in hazardous concentrations in the air, particularly in a closed space like a bathroom or a utility room with a washing machine. 

Some Bar-K residents had gross alpha radiation results lower than 300 pCi/L (which would rule out concern about radon getting in the home's air from the water), but higher than the drinking water standard of 15 pCi/L.  Some or most of this gross alpha radiation could be coming from radon, with the rest coming from uranium and radium.  So there is still concern associated ingesting water with radon at concentrations below 300 pCi/L -- according to a colleague, Prof. Kathy James of the Colorado School of Public Health, drinking water with too much radon is a risk for stomach cancer. 

Joe Ryan
303 386 6804, joeryan80481@gmail.com