Heather N. Kolich, ANR Agent, UGA Extension Forsyth County
Earlier this month, on a property just outside the Cumming city limits, a private well used for household drinking water tested positive for radon.
Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally when geologic deposits of uranium and radium decay. The odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas can be released from underground rocks like granite. Wells that are drilled into granitic crystalline rock aquifers, as is common in North Georgia, are at risk of becoming contaminated with radon. Fortunately, a whole-house aeration or granular activated carbon treatment system can remove radon from well water at the point where the water enters the home.
The University of Georgia and the Centers for Disease Control recommend annual chemical and microbial testing for well water used for drinking. Please contact our office at 770-887-2418 for information on recommended tests and instructions on collecting water samples.