Community public water systems test their well water for radium. If the amount of radium found in the drinking water sample exceeds drinking water standards, the water system is notified and a plan is developed to reduce levels. Private well owners can have their water tested for radium at the Vermont Department of Health Laboratory. There is a fee for this service. There are no immediate health risks or symptoms from drinking water that contains radium, however, it may cause health problems over time.
Radium is radioactive and very slowly decays.
During this process, radiation is released. The health effects of exposure to radiation vary according to how long a person is exposed and how much radium or radiation a person is exposed to. Over decades, exposure to radium can increase the risk of bone cancer. In the softener, radium is exchanged for sodium. When the softener is cleaned, the radium is flushed away with the wastewater.