Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Uranium in Community Drinking Water Systems by Mean Uranium Concentration and Community Water Systems, New Jersey, 2005 to 2024
Indicator Report Data View Options
Why Is This Important?
Uranium is present in nearly all rocks and soils. Some parts of the United States, particularly the West, have higher-than-average uranium levels due to natural geological formations. Man-made sources of uranium include uranium mining and milling, uranium conversion and enrichment, uranium fuel fabrication, nuclear weapons production, production of phosphate fertilizers from phosphate rocks containing uranium, and the improper disposal of uranium mine tailings. The general population is exposed to uranium via ingestion of food and drinking water and inhalation of air, with food being the primary contributor to body burden. The daily intake of uranium from food sources ranges from 0.6 to 1.0 pCi/day (0.9-1.5 g/day). Uranium levels in drinking water vary widely, with a mean population-weighted average of 0.8 pCi/L. Compared to the ingestion route, the intake of uranium via inhalation is small; intakes range from 0.0007 to 0.007 pCi/day (0.001-0.01 g/day). Since uranium is weakly radioactive, it has been assumed to be potentially carcinogenic at occupational levels by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has no classification for uranium. Cancer is not usually a result of exposure to naturally occurring uranium. However, health studies have shown large amounts of uranium can cause kidney damage. It is currently not known whether children differ from adults in their susceptibility to the health effects of uranium exposure.
Definition
The distribution of uranium in drinking water by community water system, population served, and year
Data Source
Bureau of Safe Drinking Water, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection(https://www.nj.gov/dep/watersupply/index.html)
How the Measure is Calculated
Numerator:
Number of community water systems by uranium concentration in drinking waterDenominator:
Not applicable
Related Health Objectives and Indicators
Environmental Public Health Tracking Indicator DW-87
Description: Uranium in community water systemshttps://ephtracking.cdc.gov/indicatorPages?selectedContentAreaAbbreviation=1&selectedIndicatorId=87