Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

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| 13.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 65/56 |

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(2004/C 65 E/057)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0901/03

by James Fitzsimons (UEN) to the Commission

(17 March 2003)

Subject:   Devices for filtering radon gas from groundwater sources

As the Commission is aware, naturally occurring radioactive gas can be found in groundwater. However, it is not clear how to filter out radon from the water. Is the Commission aware of this problem and does it know of ways or devices to filter out such gas?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(10 April 2003)

The Commission is aware of the problem of naturally occurring radon in groundwater sources, in particular when this water is used for drinking water. Commission Recommendation 2001/928/Euratom recommends that above a concentration of 100 Bq/l for public water supplies consideration be given to remedial action.

A research project, Tenawa, on this particular problem was executed under the Nuclear Fission Safety (Euratom) programme. The overall objective of this project, which ended in 1999, was to study various removal methods and commercially available equipment and study their ability to remove natural nuclides from drinking water. The project studied a number of techniques such as aeration, granular activated carbon, ion exchange, and membrane technology. Some of these techniques achieved an efficiency above 99 % for the removal of radon. Further details on this project may be found at the projects web site: (http://iwga-sig.boku.ac.at/project/tenawa/tenawa1\_e.htm)

Under the Fifth Framework Programme, a currently running research project, Radwat, funded by the sub-programme Environment and Sustainable Development under the CRAFT scheme, is focused on developing an innovative radon measuring and monitoring system for use in groundwater. This two-year project will end in February 2004.

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