Any Water Experts that could help?

[JanHan]

Just received another notice that our neighborhood's co-op well water has exceeded acceptable levels for gross alphas. They have submitted a plan for a "system" to filter the water, "hopefully" to be put in place later this year. On a scale of 1 (no big deal) to 10 (call Erin Brockovich) should I be worried? Also, will any sort of treatment possibly also help the horrible TA of my fill water (340+).The only thing I can find on the web is reverse-osmosis as a solution to certain gross alpha issues. Any insight would be gratefully appreciated.

 

[JohnT]

Reverse Osmosis will remove Uranium and Radon from your drinking water if you are concerned. Filtration should take care of it when implemented by the utility.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Bottled water delivery service for drinking and seriously consider a whole-home RO system....sorry, that's pretty bad water quality. Their well must be pulling water from a deep granite deposit. That would explain the alkalinity problem and the alpha problem.

 

[JanHan]

Thanks, is that the only solution? Because the water company hasn't stated that osmosis will be their solution. They just said "Our engineer has submitted a design for a treatment system". Hoping this may help more than just the radioactivity.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Thanks, is that the only solution? Because the water company hasn't stated that osmosis will be their solution. They just said "Our engineer has submitted a design for a treatment system". Hoping this may help more than just the radioactivity.

Depends on the alpha source. If it's radon, it can be remove with aeration and spraying the water into a settling tank. Kind of like letting out the fizzies in a bottle of pop. Also, granular activated charcoal will absorb radon.

If it's a uranium emitter, then that can only be removed by RO filtration.

I'm talking more about YOUR own safety. Who cares what they do.

 

[JanHan]

I'm going to call them and see if they will give me a better explanation of which alpha source/sources are the problem. These reports are not very detailed, and I have zero confidence in their "plan" at this point. Probably because they've already been shady and fined for not notifying or properly following up with proper testing after a coliform problem in the past. Maybe time to start looking into a personal RO filter if the specific alpha sources can be treated that way.