RADIONUCLIDES IN A FRACTURED GRANITE AQUIFER: REVIEW OF SEVEN YEARS OF TESTING OF PRIVATE WELLS

Wake County, North Carolina has a population of over 1 million residents, with nearly 15 percent relying on private wells for their water supply. Groundwater in a large portion of the county is prone to elevated levels of naturally-occurring radionuclides including uranium, radium, and radon. Over a seven-year period, the county has tested over 500 private wells for radionuclides. The county has used this dataset to guide outreach and recommendations for voluntary private well testing and to develop new requirements for required private well testing. Multiple tests for radionuclides at a handful of wells also suggest a need to better understand the variability of radionuclides in private wells.