What is the extent of elevated radium in waterfront aquifers used for public-water supply in Illinois?
“With a few exceptions. radium concentrations in ground water from aquifers used for public-water supply in Illinois exceed the USEPA standard only in the Mt. Simon and Cambrian-Ordovician aquifers in northern Illinois.” “…Because of the depth of these aquifers is typically greater than 500 feet below land surface, these aquifers typically are used for water supply by municipalities. not by individual homeowners, ” How can I reduce the amount of radium in my drinking water? Water treatment processes such as ion-exchange softening. lime softening and filtration to remove iron can appreciably reduce gross alpha radiation and Ra-226 concentrations in groundwater and are being used by a number of municipalities in Illinois to reduce the radium concentration in water delivered to homeowners. Some municipalities dilute water that contains elevated concentrations of radium by blending it with surface water or water from aquifers containing lower concentrations of radium. “Water softeners, i
