Useful Information Regarding Radiation in Our Water

When the Vista Redonda water board announced that "Vista Redonda MDWCA Has Levels of Gross Alpha Above Drinking Water Standards," some readers of the notice may have wondered what the heck is "Gross Alpha?"

Here is an explanation of alpha radiation as provided by Vermont’s department of Health.

You can read more here.

What is alpha radiation?

Alpha radiation is a type of energy released when certain radioactive elements decay or break down. For example, uranium and thorium are two radioactive elements found naturally in the earth’s crust. Over billions of years, these two elements slowly change form and produce “decay products” such as radium and radon. During this change process, energy is released. One form of this energy is alpha radiation.

Why is alpha radiation in drinking water supplies?

Alpha radiation normally exists everywhere: in the soil, in the air, and also in water. Because the earth’s bedrock contains varying amounts of radioactive elements, the amount of alpha radiation in water also varies. As the radioactive elements decay, alpha radiation continues to be released into groundwater. Groundwater is a common source of drinking water. The alpha radiation in drinking water can be in the form of dissolved minerals, or in the case of radon, as a gas.

What are the health concerns associated with alpha radiation?

There are no immediate health risks or symptoms from drinking water that contains alpha radiation. However, it may cause health problems over time. Because alpha radiation loses energy rapidly, it doesn’t pass through skin. It is not a hazard outside of the body. However, if an individual eats or drinks something containing alpha radiation or breathes it in, the radiation can be harmful. Over a long period of time, and at elevated levels, radium increases one’s risk of bone cancer and uranium increases one’s risk of kidney damage.

Well water that contains elevated levels of radioactive minerals sometimes increases the level of radon in the air inside a home. Actions like taking showers, doing laundry or running a dishwasher can release the radon into the air inside your home. Breathing air with elevated levels of radon over a lifetime increases a person‘s risk of getting lung cancer.