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Radon in Drinking Water Wells

Radon:  A colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas released from uranium in rock and soil that can cause serious health problems.

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally.  It comes from the natural decay of uranium, present in granite rock and soil.  It may dissolve into groundwater, the source of well water.  The major health concern comes from radon released into the air inside buildings and homes.

Radon gas dissolved in well water can be released into indoor air when family members take showers, wash dishes, or do laundry.  The Department of Health urges all homeowners to test indoor air levels for radon.  If the air level is high, test your water using a certified testing lab.

What health problems are caused by too much radon?
  • Lung cancer: Breathing in too much radon over time leads to increased chances of lung cancer.
    NOTE: Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.
  • Other cancers: Drinking water with too much radon, over time, leads to increased chances of stomach cancer, or other internal organ cancers.  This risk is lower than the risk from breathing air high in radon.
How does radon get into a home’s indoor air and well water?
  • When the well water is aerated, radon gas is defused from it into the indoor air. The radon becomes trapped in your home where it can increase to dangerous levels.  Radon entering your home’s air supply through the soil is typically a much larger risk than the amount of radon entering through the water supply.
  • NOTE: Radon in water usually originates in water wells that are drilled into bedrock containing radon gas.  These wells could be private water wells or wells that are utilized by a public water supply system.  If you have public water and have a concern about radon, contact your water supplier.  Radon usually does not occur in significant concentrations in surface waters.  EPA and various states have recommended drinking water standards for radon in water.
Testing for Radon
  • Since most exposure to radon is from air, testing of indoor air is the simplest method to determine the overall risk of radon in your home. Test kits for indoor air radon are inexpensive and readily available at most home supply stores. Testing for water is also inexpensive (generally $25 to $50) but requires special sampling and laboratory analysis techniques that measure its presence before it escapes from the sample.  Test kits are available from various private testing labs.
Radon Treatment
  • Keep in mind that the presence of waterborne radon indicates that radon is probably also entering the house through the soil into the basement, which is generally the predominant source. Therefore, treating the water without reducing other sources of incoming airborne radon probably will not eliminate the radon threat; thus, you should also test the air in your home for radon.
  • Radon must be removed from water before the radon can become airborne.  Devices broadly termed “point-of-entry” treatment are installed in order to treat the water as it enters the home.
Removing Radon from the Water Supply
  • EPA has listed aeration as the best available technology for removing radon from water. Home aeration units physically agitate the water to allow the dissolved radon gas to be collected and vented to the outside.  With new technological advancements in home aeration, these units can have radon removal efficiencies of up to 99.9%. 
  • There are several styles of aeration treatment units but all work on the same principle of aerating or agitating the water to allow the radon gas to escape so that it can be captured and vented.

STORCH Radon Services offers the installation of the Bubble-Up* Interactive which removes radon from water and includes safety features such as meter control and alarms for vent obstruction, high water leaks – even during power outages.  The Bubble-Up* Interactive Meter Control automatically reminds you when it is time to perform routine maintenance.  The Meter Control is the key to safe performance.

The Bubble-Up* Interactive lets you know what’s going on!

Water Alarm Valve for Bubble-Up* Interactive:

  • Leak and vent obstruction detection
  • Audible Alarm
  • Shuts off water
  • Fully integrated into the Bubble-Up so that bypass is fully functional

Water Meter Control for Bubble-Up* Interactive:

  • Monitors flow in real time
  • Totalizing meter with resettable alarm
  • Measures peak flow

Bubble-Up* Interactive Features

  • Pressure gauge
  • Flow direction arrows
  • Digital flow meter
  • Water alarm sensor
  • Status lights show when to change battery
  • High water drain pipe connection provided
  • Optional blower alarm add-on available
  • Triple safety water alarm sensor
    1. Over filling water stop
    2. Leak water stop (top and floor sensor)
    3. Plugged vent water stop
  • Triple backup water alarm valve
    1. Battery backup
    2. Float backup
    3. Solenoid fill valve backed up with motorized ball valve
    4. Optional motorized fill valve
  • Flow Rates
    1. 7 GPM, 99% removal with standard equipment
    2. 14 GPM, 98% removal with optional equipment upgrade
  • Dimensions
    • Bubble-Up* Interactive: Depth: 30” Width: 25” Tank Height: 41” Overall Height: 60”
    • Bubble-Up* Junior Interactive: Depth: 18” Width: 24” Tank Height: 41” Overall Height: 60”