Radon in Drinking Water

Public Health Standards for Radon in Drinking Water

EPA is proposing new public health standards for radon in drinking water.  The proposal would provide two options to States and community water systems for reducing radon health risks in both drinking water and indoor air quality, a unique multimedia framework authorized in the 1996 Amendments to the Safewater Drinking Water Act (SDWA).  Information about the proposed rule and information relating to the status of the rule can be found at:  www.epa.gov/safewater/radon.html.

National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Report on Radon in Drinking Water "Risk Assessment of Radon in Drinking Water."

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.

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