What is radon? Should I be worried about radon in my drinking water?
Radon is a gas that has no color, odor, or taste and comes from the natural radioactive breakdown of uranium in the ground. You can be exposed to radon by two main sources: (1) radon in the air in your home (frequently called radon in indoor air) and (2) radon in drinking water. Radon gas can dissolve and accumulate in water from underground sources (called ground water), such as wells. When water that contains radon is used in the home for showering, washing dishes, and cooking, radon gas escapes from the water and goes into the air. Some radon also stays in the water. Breathing radon in indoor air can cause lung cancer. Drinking water containing radon also presents a risk of developing internal organ cancers, primarily stomach cancer. However this risk is smaller than the risk of developing lung cancer from radon released to air from tap water. the EPA has recently proposed a regulation for radon in drinking water. You can get more information by reading the EPA’s fact sheet.
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