Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Radioactive Iodine-131 in Pennsylvania rainwater sample is 3300% above federal drinking water standard

Radioactive Iodine-131 in Pennsylvania rainwater sample is 3300% above federal drinking water standard

Governor Corbett Says Public Water Supply Testing Finds No Risk to Public From Radioactivity Found in Rainwater, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor, March 28, 2011:

[Emphasis Added]

… The [Iodine-131] numbers reported in the rainwater samples in Pennsylvania range from 40-100 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Although these are levels above the background levels historically reported in these areas, they are still about 25 times below the level that would be of concern. The federal drinking water standard for Iodine-131 is three pCi/L. …

On Friday, rainwater samples were taken in Harrisburg, where levels were 41 pCi/L and at nuclear power plants at TMI and Limerick, where levels were 90 to 100 pCi/L.

Corbett emphasized that the drinking water is safe and there is no cause for health concerns. …

“Rainwater is not typically directly consumed,” Corbett said. “However, people might get alarmed by making what would be an inappropriate connection from rainwater to drinking water. By testing the drinking water, we can assure people that the water is safe.” …

Read the release here.

See also: EPA: Radioactive Iodine-131 levels in PA & MA rainwater “exceed maximum contaminant level permitted in drinking water”

Read more:

* EPA: Radioactive Iodine-131 levels in PA & MA rainwater “exceed maximum contaminant level permitted in drinking water”
* Radioactive particles from Fukushima found in Massachusetts rain — “25 times less risky than it would need to be in order to cause any health concerns” (VIDEOS)
* EPA: Penn. and Mass. have seen elevated levels of radiation in rain — “Short-term elevations” not a health concern… How about Long-term?
* Highest yet: 3,355 times legal limit of radioactive iodine-131 found in seawater — Reactor cores may have been continuously leaking into Pacific
* Radioactive iodine found in Tokyo’s tap water

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