Radium is a naturally occurring element found in some bedrock and in the groundwater that moves through it. You cannot see, smell, or taste it, so the only way to know whether it is in a private well is a laboratory test. In and around Washington, in Franklin County, Missouri, deeper bedrock wells commonly draw from aquifers where radium occurs naturally, which is why a clear testing plan comes before any decision about treatment.
What the local public reports tell you
Public water reports for Washington list radium and gross alpha among the topics they cover, along with very hard water and iron. Those results describe the municipal supply, not your private well. A city report does not show what comes out of your own tap if you run a well, so it is useful background but not a substitute for your own sample.
Why private wells need their own test
Wells are unregulated. No agency samples your well on a schedule, and nobody will alert you if radium levels change. Results can also differ between wells that sit near each other, and a well that tested acceptably years ago may not test the same after flooding, a repair, or a change in the aquifer. Plan a regular testing schedule and an extra test after any event that could change the water.
Testing steps that make results usable
- Contact a certified drinking water laboratory and ask for radium testing along with gross alpha screening. Ask which sample container, preservative, and volume they require.
- Collect the sample from a cold tap before any filter, softener, or other treatment device, and follow the lab's flushing and timing instructions exactly.
- Keep the chain-of-custody form and the lab report together. Record the date, the tap used, and whether the water had run long enough before collection.
- Locate your well log if you have one. It lists the total depth and the formation the well draws from, which helps explain what the results mean.
- Repeat the test after major repairs, flooding, or any noticeable change in taste or appearance.
Reading the results
Ask the lab to report radium as a combined total and to report gross alpha separately. Each result comes with a detection limit. A result below that limit means the lab did not detect the substance at its reporting level, not that the water is completely free of it. Compare your result to the drinking water standards the lab references, and ask a qualified water professional to explain what the numbers mean for your household.
If results are high
Some treatment approaches are designed to address radium, including certain ion exchange and reverse osmosis systems. Whether any approach fits depends on your full water chemistry, how much water your household uses, and how the waste from treatment will be handled. Backwash and brine from radium removal can contain concentrated material, so ask in advance how and where it will be discharged and whether local rules apply. Choose a approach based on your test results, not on a general claim or a brochure.
Keep a simple record
- Save every lab report in one folder.
- Write down the test date, the sample location, and any repairs or flooding since the last test.
- Note the date of your next scheduled test.
Washington homeowners who run a private well carry this responsibility themselves. A properly collected sample, a certified lab, and a dated record give you something solid to act on.