A report released September 15, 1998, by the
National Academy of Sciences is the most comprehensive accumulation of
scientific data on the public health risks of radon in drinking water. The
report was required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The NAS report (BEIR
VI) issued earlier this year confirmed that radon is a serious public health
threat. This report goes on to refine the risks of radon in drinking
water and confirms that there are drinking water related cancer deaths,
primarily due to lung cancer. The report, in general, confirms earlier EPA
scientific conclusions and analyses for drinking water, and presents no major
changes to EPA's 1994 risk assessment.
The Office of Ground Water Drinking Water
has posted the press release of "Risk Assessment of Radon in Drinking
Water". There is also a link to NAS's Executive Summary on the report (with
initial EPA perspectives) at: www.epa.gov/OGWDW/radon/nas.html.
For general information on radon in drinking
water, contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline, at (800) 426-4791. The
Safe Drinking Water Hotline is open Monday through Friday, excluding Federal
holidays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.