Concerns rise over record high radium levels in Perry Park water

PERRY PARK, Colo. — Perry Park residents packed a recent water district board meeting after a routine water test revealed radium levels at an all-time high. 

The Perry Park Water and Sanitation District, which conducts quarterly tests for radium, found that the third-quarter sample contained 12.9 picocuries of radium — nearly double the highest level previously recorded and far exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency’s limit of 5 picocuries.

“It was a very surprising number. Before this, there is the highest level they’d ever seen was 6.9,” said Michael Gerster, the district’s engineer. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) warns that radium levels above the federal limit can increase cancer risk.

Concerned residents flooded the board’s Wednesday night meeting. Gerster said it was the biggest audience he’d ever seen at a board meeting. Typically, he said attendance from the community is sparse, if at all.

The board outlined a timeline of events: The sample that revealed the elevated radium levels was taken in August, and on Sept. 5, the district was notified that their system exceeded the maximum contaminant level. The water district immediately cleaned the filters and re-sampled the water. 

By Oct. 11, residents were notified of the issue. The day before the board meeting, on Oct. 15, the district received new test results showing the radium levels had dropped to 5.6 picocuries — still above the EPA limit, but much closer to typical levels for the district and safe to drink.

Gerster explained that the district doesn’t know how long the water had been contaminated with such high radium levels. CDPHE recommends residents drink bottled water if levels are ever that high again. 

According to the department, it is safe to shower, brush teeth, and wash clothes and dishes with the current water supply.

Scientists are unsure how much radium exposure or how long it takes to cause health problems, but CDPHE warns that the greater the exposure, the higher the risk of developing health effects. They advise people with serious health concerns, as well as pregnant women and the elderly, to consult with a doctor regarding the safety of consuming radium-tainted water.

Radium is a naturally occurring radioactive element that forms when uranium breaks down. It is typically found in groundwater sources, which is where Perry Park gets its water supply. The state’s natural geology is known to have high uranium and radium content.

“The operator has made adjustments at the treatment plant twice now,” Gerster said.

Gester added that the district re-sampled the water again on Oct. 15. It will take three to four weeks to get the results back.

At the meeting, district officials acknowledged that their current treatment methods have reached the limit of what they can remove from the water. If the next test shows radium levels above 5 picocuries, they will need to pursue additional treatments, which will require approval from the CDPHE and could take more time.