Gross alpha in drinking water
A screen for alpha-emitting radioactivity. Limit 15 pCi/L.
Health: Increases cancer risk.
Across the US
275 community water systems had at least one health-based Gross alpha violation since 2016. Routine Gross alpha sample results are reported to states, not to EPA's national database, so this page ranks systems by violations rather than levels.
Most violations
| Water system | People | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| City of Brady Water System | 5,371 | 171 |
| May Valley WA Water System | 1,500 | 139 |
| Abraxas Utilities | 792 | 69 |
| Waukesha Water Utility | 70,718 | 66 |
| Valley Water Company | 270 | 54 |
| Tempe Water Supply Corporation 1 | 2,725 | 43 |
| South Swink Water Authority | 622 | 41 |
| Highland Court Water System | 90 | 41 |
| Millersview Doole Water Supply Corporation | 3,987 | 40 |
| Council Creek Village Water System | 333 | 40 |
| South Silver Creek I II & III | 291 | 40 |
| South Council Creek 2 Water System | 111 | 40 |
| Live Oak Hills Subdivision | 65 | 39 |
| Patterson Valley Water Company | 96 | 37 |
| San Pedro Canyon Subdivision – Upper | 150 | 35 |
| Arimak Water Supply | 105 | 33 |
| Eureka Water Company | 498 | 32 |
| Lakeland Services | 63 | 32 |
| Kendall County Water Control & Improvement District 1 | 3,579 | 29 |
| City of Mason | 2,228 | 26 |
| G & W Water Supply Corporation | 1,650 | 25 |
| Vroman Water Company | 125 | 25 |
| Town of Bowling Green | 1,233 | 23 |
| Skidmore Water Supply Corporation | 777 | 22 |
| Texas Landing Utilities | 420 | 20 |
States with the most systems with violations
- Texas: 77
- Georgia: 27
- Colorado: 22
- Minnesota: 20
- Oklahoma: 14
- New Jersey: 13
- North Carolina: 12
- Wisconsin: 11
- South Dakota: 10
- New Hampshire: 10
- Pennsylvania: 6
- Florida: 6
Sources
The limits, health goals and health effects on this page come from these EPA sources. The results come from EPA's monitoring data for each water system.
- EPA: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (limits and health effects table)
- EPA ECHO: Safe Drinking Water Information System data
This page summarizes public regulatory information. It is not medical advice. How we source and check this site.
Questions
How do I remove Gross alpha from tap water?
See the filter guidance on this page: look for a product certified for Gross alpha specifically, and check the claim in NSF's certified product listings.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.