title: Radon-contaminated drinking water from private wells: an environmental health assessment examining a rural Colorado mountain community's exposure.
abstract: In the study discussed in this article, 27 private drinking water wells located in a rural Colorado mountain community were sampled for radon contamination and compared against (a) the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA's) proposed maximum contaminant level (MCL), (b) the U.S. EPA proposed alternate maximum contaminate level (AMCL), and (c) the average radon level measured in the local municipal drinking water system. The data from the authors' study found that 100% of the wells within the study population had radon levels in excess of the U.S. EPA MCL, 37% were in excess of the U.S. EPA AMCL, and 100% of wells had radon levels greater than that found in the local municipal drinking water system. Radon contamination in one well was found to be 715 times greater than the U.S. EPA MCL, 54 times greater than the U.S. EPA AMLC, and 36,983 times greater than that found in the local municipal drinking water system. According to the research data and the reviewed literature, the results indicate that this population has a unique and elevated contamination profile and suggest that radon-contaminated drinking water from private wells can present a significant public health concern.
authors: Northeast Colorado Health Department, Sterling, CO 80571, USA. tonyc@nchd.org
authors: Michael Anthony
authors: MA
authors: Cappello
authors: College of Health Sciences, Walden University, USA.
authors: Aimee
authors: A
authors: Ferraro
authors: College of Health Sciences, Walden University, USA.
authors: Aaron B
authors: AB
authors: Mendelsohn
authors: College of Health Sciences, Walden University, USA.
authors: Angela Witt
authors: AW
authors: Prehn
mesh_terms: D003120:Colorado; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D004782:Environmental Health; D006801:Humans; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*; D012424:Rural Population; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014878:Water Pollution, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D060986:Water Wells / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D011886:Radon