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Gross Alpha in Private Wells by County, New Jersey, 2002-2022

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Gross Alpha in Private Wells by County, New Jersey, 2002-2022

  • ***The count has been suppressed because the number of events is too small for publication or could be used to calculate the number in a cell that has been suppressed.

Why Is This Important?

Gross Alpha is a test that is performed to measure the overall radioactivity in drinking water. Naturally occurring radioactive elements emit alpha particles as they decay. Alpha radiation exists in soil, air, and water. Sampling of public and private wells that draw water from southern New Jersey's Cohansey aquifer has shown elevated levels of naturally occurring radioactivity. Exposure to radium over a long period of time is believed to increase one's lifetime risk of developing certain types of cancer.

Definition

Percent of tested private wells with gross alpha exceeding the maximum contaminant level of 15 picoCuries per liter (pCi/l)

Data Notes

**Results by county are suppressed when the number of tested wells was less than 10. Data obtained on May 10, 2023

Data Source

Private Well Testing Act Data, Division of Water Supply and Geoscience, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
(https://njdep.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=826ec9fae77543caa582a787d5f088e7)

How the Measure is Calculated

  • Numerator:

    Number of tested private wells with gross alpha concentration exceeding the maximum contaminant level of 15 pCi/l in a specified period of time
  • Denominator:

    Number of tested private wells in a specified period of time

Related Risk Factors Indicators:

Health Topic Pages Related to: Gross Alpha in Private Wells

Indicator Data Last Updated On 05/11/2023, Published on 05/11/2023
Environmental Public Health Tracking Project, New Jersey Department of Health, PO Box 369, Trenton, NJ 08625-0369, e-mail: nj.epht@doh.nj.gov (https://www.nj.gov/health/epht)