
What’s in your water?
Radon
Cancer
EWG guideline1.5 pCi/L
pCi/L = Picocuries per liter
Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from soil and groundwater, and causes lung cancer. Highest exposures come from radon entering a house through its basement or crawl spaces, or from it volatilizing in the water.
States affected
19
Utilities affected
316
Population affected
4,612,593
You should know
Radon is a known cancer-causing substance found in water from wells. Approximately half of the drinking water in the US comes from groundwater that is tapped by wells. The water moves through the soil and natural uranium releases radon to the water. As a result, water from wells usually contain more radon than surface water (lakes and streams).
Learn more about Radon here.
Health concerns
- Cancer
What’s in your water?
States reporting contamination
State
Utilities
Above guidelines
Population affected
Maryland
27
27
102,2K
Rhode Island
3
3
48,1K
Maine
59
59
48,8K
Utah
1
1
9,9K
Montana
1
1
300
New York
17
15
1,2M
Nevada
59
58
210K
Pennsylvania
1
1
12,8K
Missouri
10
10
153,1K
Wisconsin
47
47
450,6K