Radium (226 + 228) in Idaho well water
In Idaho, <1% of 448 tested private well samples exceeded the EPA limit for radium (226 + 228) (5 pCi/L).
Radium is a naturally occurring radioactive metal in bedrock. It accumulates in bone and raises the risk of bone cancer. It occurs in the same granite areas as uranium and radon.
Check your radium (226 + 228) number
Type the value from your lab report. It is compared to the EPA limit, the same way the full interpretation does it.
Getting it fixed
Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company, or see the treatment guide for what removes radium (226 + 228).
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (5 pCi/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Samples | Detected | Above EPA limit | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butte | 163 | 44% | 1% | 0 | 21 pCi/L |
| Gooding | 40 | 55% | 0% | 0.03 | 3 pCi/L |
| Jerome | 70 | 53% | 0% | 0.03 | 2 pCi/L |
| Minidoka | 67 | 51% | 0% | 0.02 | 1 pCi/L |
| Lincoln | 32 | 47% | 0% | 0 | 0.11 pCi/L |
- Howe CCD, Butte County1% of 159
- Jerome CCD, Jerome County0% of 42
- Minidoka CCD, Minidoka County0% of 40
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. radium (226 + 228) counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.