We want to let you know what's going on in the water industry, and more particularly in Monroe, with regard to radium. There have been several newspaper articles about finding radium in wells of nearby towns.
Radium is a metallic element which occurs naturally within the ground.
As it decays, it produces radon gas and alpha rays. If a well draws water from a layer of sand which contains radium, it will produce water containing alpha rays and sometimes radon gas. Long term exposure to sufficient quantities of radium or radon gas can cause adverse health effects. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has established a safe level of radium in drinking water above which is considered an unacceptable health risk. Recently, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has found that a change in the testing procedure typically results in higher levels of radium and gross alpha rays being detected.