Radiological
Radium (combined -226 & -228) in your water
Is Radium (combined -226 & -228) in drinking water dangerous?
It depends on the level and how long you're exposed. The EPA legal limit (MCL) for Radium (combined -226 & -228) is 5 pCi/L, but health-based goals (EPA MCLG / WHO) are often stricter, at 0.05 pCi/L. Meeting the legal limit isn't the same as zero risk — test your water to know your level.
How do you remove Radium (combined -226 & -228) from water?
Radium (combined -226 & -228) is treated by Water Softener and Reverse Osmosis. Choose a system independently certified to NSF/ANSI standards to reduce Radium (combined -226 & -228), and test your water first to confirm the level.
Source: EPA MCL / MCLG; WHO guidelines; NSF/ANSI · 2026
Health effects
Radium is a naturally radioactive element that leaches from rock into groundwater. Long-term exposure increases the risk of bone cancer and other cancers because it concentrates in bone. The federal limit covers the combined activity of radium-226 and radium-228.
The health-based goal vs. the legal limit
The federal legal limit (MCL) is the maximum allowed by law. The health-based goal (EPA MCLG / WHO) is a health target — it is often stricter than the legal limit, and it is not itself a legal limit.
Health-based goal (EPA MCLG / WHO)
0.05 pCi/L
Federal legal limit (MCL)
5 pCi/L
Source: EPA MCL / MCLG; WHO guidelines · 2026
Not affiliated with or endorsed by EWG.
What removes Radium (combined -226 & -228)
Ion exchange
Water Softener
Swaps the calcium and magnesium that cause hard water for sodium — so scale stops forming.
Look for: NSF/ANSI 44 certification
How it works→Semipermeable membrane filtration
Reverse Osmosis
Pushes water through a fine membrane that removes the dissolved solids most filters miss.
Look for: NSF/ANSI 58 certification
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Is Radium (combined -226 & -228) in your water?
Check your city's public record, then book a free 30-minute test to confirm what's in your home.