Radionuclides · 2023
Combined Radium in Chicago, IL tap water
Chicago, IL's 2023 report shows Combined Radium detected, but the EPA has not set an enforceable federal limit for it.
The measurement
| Statistic | Value | Federal limit |
|---|---|---|
Reported level System-wide | 0.95 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L MCLG |
Range System-wide | 0.83–0.95 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L MCLG |
Verbatim from Chicago, IL's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report — source document ↗
About Combined Radium
Combined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements.
Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases the risk of bone cancer.
How Chicago, IL compares
5 of the 182 systems measuring Combined Radium on The Water Map have it at or above the federal limit:
Nearby systems also reporting Combined Radium:
People also ask
+Is there Combined Radium in Chicago, IL tap water?
Yes — Chicago, IL's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report lists Combined Radium at 0.95 pCi/L. Chicago, IL's 2023 report shows Combined Radium detected, but the EPA has not set an enforceable federal limit for it.
+What's the federal limit for Combined Radium in drinking water?
The federal MCLG for Combined Radium is 0 pCi/L. The EPA enforces this against the regulated reporting statistic (running annual average or 90th percentile), not a single-sample spike.
+What is Combined Radium?
Combined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases the risk of bone cancer.
+Which other U.S. cities have Combined Radium over the federal limit?
5 of the 182 systems on The Water Map measuring Combined Radium report it at or above the federal limit. Examples include Pomona, CA, West Covina, CA, Albuquerque, NM.
+Where does this Combined Radium measurement come from?
This page reproduces the Combined Radium entry from the 2023 Consumer Confidence Report published by the Chicago, IL water utility — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived at /water/il/chicago/2023/source.