~ by RJ Brown, Residential Water Specialist

Not everyone is aware, but depending on where you live in New Hampshire, high levels of Uranium may be present in your well water.  Yes, Uranium! Secondwind Water Systems has been treating it for the last 15 years and it is one of our specialties.

Uranium is an element that emits alpha particles over long periods of time and has a half-life of 4.4 billion years. It’s safe to say, Uranium isn’t leaving our well water any time soon. Here are three reasons why you should care about the uranium that may be in your well water:

1)   Uranium is radioactive. Uranium, because it is radioactive, has the ability to “travel through” material, or space. This matters because when we consume Uranium, it travels through our cells and destabilizes nearby atoms, and damages chromosomes, which in turn can lead to cancer. Uranium is not a skin adsorption issue, as it cannot permeate through skin tissue. The main concern is consuming it, where the Uranium ends up in our bloodstream and accumulates over time.

2)   Uranium can lead to cancer. According to a Fact Sheet on uranium, radon and radium, uranium as a heavy metal, uranium typically accumulates in the kidneys. This has lead to cancer in the kidneys, along with other types of cancers such as liver, bone and even reproductive issues. If you have been living or plan on living in your home for a long period of time it’s a great idea to find out if you have uranium in your water and remove it to prevent these risks.   For much more detailed information you can read this publication from the United States Geological Survey.

3) Uranium is everywhere! We used to find uranium only in a specific part of the state off of Interstate 89. Over the last two years I have personally seen it in many other areas and even on the border of Maine. Uranium is naturally occurring, especially in our New Hampshire granite.

If you want to know if you have uranium in your water, get your free water test today and one of our Certified Water Specialists will go over your results with you. Peace of mind for you and your family is invaluable.