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Radioactive element increasing bone cancer risk. Below are US cities ranked by their measured Radium levels compared to EPA limits. Higher percentages indicate greater concern.
Vulnerable Populations: Radium accumulates in bones where cells divide rapidly. Children and pregnant women are at higher risk due to active bone growth.
Ranked by percentage of the EPA limit, using one real EPA measurement per water system (2012–2019 (SYR4)). Click any city for its full report.
Historical data. Figure shown is the average of the system's 2012–2019 finished-water compliance samples (EPA Six-Year Review 4), non-detects counted as zero. Treat as history, not today's tap water.
| Rank | City | State | Level | Period | EPA Limit | % of Limit | Status | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Seaford | Delaware | 3.87 pCi/LAverage of 5 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 77.3% | Elevated | 6,699 |
| #2 | New Castle | Delaware | 3.60 pCi/LAverage of 3 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 71.9% | Elevated | 5,549 |
| #3 | Glen Burnie | Maryland | 3.37 pCi/LAverage of 49 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 67.4% | Elevated | 290,606 |
| #4 | Daphne | Alabama | 3.18 pCi/LAverage of 18 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 63.6% | Elevated | 33,372 |
| #5 | Aurora | Colorado | 2.90 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 58.0% | Elevated | 533,407 |
| #6 | Palmer | Alaska | 2.87 pCi/LAverage of 11 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 57.5% | Elevated | 8,111 |
| #7 | Garden City | Kansas | 2.86 pCi/LAverage of 15 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 57.2% | Elevated | 35,126 |
| #8 | Oswego | Illinois | 2.83 pCi/LAverage of 60 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 56.6% | Elevated | 38,169 |
| #9 | Castle Rock | Colorado | 2.77 pCi/LAverage of 24 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 55.5% | Elevated | 110,298 |
| #10 | Joliet | Illinois | 2.76 pCi/LAverage of 116 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 55.2% | Elevated | 160,000 |
| #11 | Richmond | Kentucky | 2.75 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 55.0% | Elevated | 35,640 |
| #12 | Frankfort | Kentucky | 2.68 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 53.6% | Elevated | 52,153 |
| #13 | Rockford | Illinois | 2.52 pCi/LAverage of 96 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 50.5% | Elevated | 147,051 |
| #14 | Fort Worth | Texas | 2.50 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 50.0% | Elevated | 955,900 |
| #15 | Ashland | Kentucky | 2.38 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 47.5% | Within Limit | 44,402 |
| #16 | Parker | Colorado | 2.36 pCi/LAverage of 28 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 47.3% | Within Limit | 75,949 |
| #17 | Paducah | Kentucky | 2.30 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 46.0% | Within Limit | 65,004 |
| #18 | Paradise Valley | Arizona | 2.25 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 45.0% | Within Limit | 14,107 |
| #19 | Akron | Ohio | 2.10 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 42.0% | Within Limit | 280,000 |
| #20 | Hanover Park | Illinois | 2.09 pCi/LAverage of 4 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 41.9% | Within Limit | 37,470 |
| #21 | St. Charles | Illinois | 2.07 pCi/LAverage of 13 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 41.4% | Within Limit | 33,103 |
| #22 | Goshen | Indiana | 1.98 pCi/LAverage of 4 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 39.6% | Within Limit | 32,267 |
| #23 | Rexburg | Idaho | 1.87 pCi/LAverage of 10 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 37.4% | Within Limit | 40,695 |
| #24 | DeKalb | Illinois | 1.74 pCi/LAverage of 39 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 34.8% | Within Limit | 40,290 |
| #25 | Ammon | Idaho | 1.68 pCi/LAverage of 11 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 33.6% | Within Limit | 17,338 |
| #26 | Smyrna | Delaware | 1.62 pCi/LAverage of 3 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 32.5% | Within Limit | 11,813 |
| #27 | Juneau | Alaska | 1.54 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 30.8% | Within Limit | 38,526 |
| #28 | Houston | Texas | 1.53 pCi/LAverage of 61 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 30.7% | Within Limit | 2,970,543 |
| #29 | Georgetown | Kentucky | 1.50 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 30.0% | Within Limit | 44,608 |
| #30 | Biddeford | Maine | 1.50 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 30.0% | Within Limit | 42,508 |
| #31 | Saco | Maine | 1.50 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 30.0% | Within Limit | 42,508 |
| #32 | Hopkinsville | Kentucky | 1.50 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 30.0% | Within Limit | 41,350 |
| #33 | Glasgow | Kentucky | 1.50 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 30.0% | Within Limit | 36,766 |
| #34 | Winchester | Kentucky | 1.50 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 30.0% | Within Limit | 29,823 |
| #35 | Madisonville | Kentucky | 1.50 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 30.0% | Within Limit | 28,102 |
| #36 | Romeoville | Illinois | 1.41 pCi/LAverage of 36 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 28.2% | Within Limit | 50,458 |
| #37 | Bardstown | Kentucky | 1.40 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 28.0% | Within Limit | 31,185 |
| #38 | Crystal Lake | Illinois | 1.33 pCi/LAverage of 28 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 26.7% | Within Limit | 40,661 |
| #39 | Middletown | Delaware | 1.32 pCi/LAverage of 4 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 26.4% | Within Limit | 17,700 |
| #40 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | 1.30 pCi/LAverage of 4 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 26.0% | Within Limit | 626,000 |
| #41 | Algonquin | Illinois | 1.30 pCi/LAverage of 10 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 26.0% | Within Limit | 30,700 |
| #42 | Radcliff | Kentucky | 1.30 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 26.0% | Within Limit | 30,230 |
| #43 | Newton | Kansas | 1.30 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 26.0% | Within Limit | 18,433 |
| #44 | Moline | Illinois | 1.26 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 25.3% | Within Limit | 44,500 |
| #45 | Eagle | Idaho | 1.25 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 24.9% | Within Limit | 6,108 |
| #46 | Galesburg | Illinois | 1.24 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 24.8% | Within Limit | 31,620 |
| #47 | Enterprise | Alabama | 1.20 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 24.0% | Within Limit | 48,000 |
| #48 | Erie | Colorado | 1.20 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 24.0% | Within Limit | 47,444 |
| #49 | Coeur d'Alene | Idaho | 1.19 pCi/LAverage of 16 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 23.8% | Within Limit | 54,115 |
| #50 | Westfield | Indiana | 1.17 pCi/LAverage of 6 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 23.3% | Within Limit | 61,493 |
| #51 | Lawrence | Kansas | 1.15 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 23.0% | Within Limit | 95,256 |
| #52 | Waterbury | Connecticut | 1.14 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 22.7% | Within Limit | 107,271 |
| #53 | Champaign | Illinois | 1.08 pCi/LAverage of 4 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 21.6% | Within Limit | 150,000 |
| #54 | Bloomington | Illinois | 1.07 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 21.5% | Within Limit | 77,610 |
| #55 | Indianapolis | Indiana | 1.06 pCi/LAverage of 18 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 21.3% | Within Limit | 880,345 |
| #56 | Fountain | Colorado | 1.06 pCi/LAverage of 5 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 21.1% | Within Limit | 25,130 |
| #57 | St. George | Utah | 1.04 pCi/LAverage of 18 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 20.7% | Within Limit | 105,240 |
| #58 | Great Bend | Kansas | 1.01 pCi/LAverage of 13 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 20.2% | Within Limit | 14,580 |
| #59 | Normal | Illinois | 1.00 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 19.9% | Within Limit | 52,736 |
| #60 | Evanston | Illinois | 0.99 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 19.8% | Within Limit | 74,486 |
| #61 | San Antonio | Texas | 0.98 pCi/LAverage of 15 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 19.5% | Within Limit | 2,643,729 |
| #62 | Peoria | Illinois | 0.97 pCi/LAverage of 5 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 19.3% | Within Limit | 137,575 |
| #63 | San Luis | Arizona | 0.97 pCi/LAverage of 20 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 19.3% | Within Limit | 39,705 |
| #64 | Augusta | Maine | 0.91 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 18.1% | Within Limit | 13,750 |
| #65 | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | 0.90 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 18.0% | Within Limit | 596,844 |
| #66 | South Bend | Indiana | 0.86 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 17.3% | Within Limit | 115,000 |
| #67 | Jerome | Idaho | 0.84 pCi/LAverage of 4 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 16.9% | Within Limit | 13,135 |
| #68 | Dover | Delaware | 0.83 pCi/LAverage of 19 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 16.7% | Within Limit | 39,491 |
| #69 | Easton | Maryland | 0.83 pCi/LAverage of 3 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 16.7% | Within Limit | 17,357 |
| #70 | Chubbuck | Idaho | 0.81 pCi/LAverage of 11 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 16.1% | Within Limit | 15,842 |
| #71 | Manhattan | Kansas | 0.80 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 16.0% | Within Limit | 54,763 |
| #72 | Alexandria | Louisiana | 0.76 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 15.3% | Within Limit | 66,798 |
| #73 | Pocatello | Idaho | 0.76 pCi/LAverage of 20 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 15.1% | Within Limit | 58,231 |
| #74 | Los Angeles | California | 0.74 pCi/LAverage of 3 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 14.7% | Within Limit | 3,875,566 |
| #75 | Mobile | Alabama | 0.73 pCi/LAverage of 12 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 14.7% | Within Limit | 279,000 |
| #76 | Murray | Kentucky | 0.73 pCi/LAverage of 4 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 14.7% | Within Limit | 26,302 |
| #77 | Riverside | California | 0.70 pCi/LAverage of 19 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 14.0% | Within Limit | 298,398 |
| #78 | Twin Falls | Idaho | 0.70 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 14.0% | Within Limit | 56,121 |
| #79 | Alabaster | Alabama | 0.70 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 14.0% | Within Limit | 40,986 |
| #80 | Sulphur | Louisiana | 0.68 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 13.7% | Within Limit | 24,489 |
| #81 | Orem | Utah | 0.68 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 13.6% | Within Limit | 98,129 |
| #82 | Nicholasville | Kentucky | 0.68 pCi/LAverage of 4 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 13.5% | Within Limit | 35,266 |
| #83 | Chicago | Illinois | 0.67 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 13.4% | Within Limit | 2,721,308 |
| #84 | Hartford | Connecticut | 0.64 pCi/LAverage of 6 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 12.8% | Within Limit | 390,887 |
| #85 | Bowie | Maryland | 0.60 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 12.0% | Within Limit | 25,000 |
| #86 | Hays | Kansas | 0.60 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 12.0% | Within Limit | 21,040 |
| #87 | Milford | Delaware | 0.57 pCi/LAverage of 15 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 11.3% | Within Limit | 9,800 |
| #88 | Lafayette | Louisiana | 0.56 pCi/LAverage of 7 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 11.2% | Within Limit | 169,389 |
| #89 | Blackfoot | Idaho | 0.56 pCi/LAverage of 7 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 11.2% | Within Limit | 13,224 |
| #90 | Greensboro | North Carolina | 0.55 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 11.0% | Within Limit | 319,588 |
| #91 | Fort Morgan | Colorado | 0.54 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 10.8% | Within Limit | 12,000 |
| #92 | Bel Air | Maryland | 0.53 pCi/LAverage of 6 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 10.7% | Within Limit | 13,200 |
| #93 | Kenai | Alaska | 0.52 pCi/LAverage of 8 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 10.4% | Within Limit | 5,700 |
| #94 | El Paso | Texas | 0.51 pCi/LAverage of 42 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 10.3% | Within Limit | 747,168 |
| #95 | Meriden | Connecticut | 0.51 pCi/LAverage of 17 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 10.2% | Within Limit | 58,441 |
| #96 | Raleigh | North Carolina | 0.50 pCi/LAverage of 2 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 10.0% | Within Limit | 650,000 |
| #97 | Fountain Valley | California | 0.50 pCi/LAverage of 4 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 10.0% | Within Limit | 56,747 |
| #98 | Kuna | Idaho | 0.49 pCi/LAverage of 24 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 9.9% | Within Limit | 32,038 |
| #99 | Wilmington | Delaware | 0.49 pCi/LAverage of 1 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 9.8% | Within Limit | 107,976 |
| #100 | Arvada | Colorado | 0.49 pCi/LAverage of 142 samples | 2012–2019 | 5.00 pCi/L | 9.7% | Within Limit | 171,610 |
Standard water softeners effectively remove radium.
Effective point-of-use treatment.
Municipal treatment method.
Radium is most common in groundwater from the Midwest, Great Plains, and certain areas of Texas, Florida, and the Appalachian region.
No. Radium is colorless, tasteless, and odorless. Only testing can detect it.
Yes, standard ion exchange water softeners are effective at removing radium. This is one of the easier radioactive contaminants to address.