Radon in Water Mitigation

How is radon removed from water?

Radon can be removed from water by using one of two methods: aeration treatment or granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment.

Aeration treatments involve bubbling air through the water. This helps to strip radon from the water. An exhaust fan is used to vent the radon outdoors.

GAC treatment filters water through carbon. Radon attaches to the carbon and leaves the water free of radon. GAC filters tend to cost less than aeration devices. However, radioactivity collects on the filter and may cause a handling hazard and require special disposal methods for the filter.

For more information on aerators and GAC filters, you should contact two independent, non-profit organizations: NSF International at (800) 673-8010 and the Water Quality Association at (630) 505-0160.

In either treatment, it is important to treat the water where it enters your home (point-of-entry device) so that all the water will be treated. Point-of-use devices, such as those installed on a tap or under the sink, will only treat a small portion of your water and are not effective in reducing radon in your water.

It is important to maintain home water treatment units because failure to do so can lead to other water contamination problems. Some homeowners opt for a service contract from the installer to provide for carbon replacement and general system maintenance.