A DISCUSSION ON ISSUES WITH RADON IN DRINKING WATER

The majority of the world's population relies on surface water or large public supply systems of groundwater, where radon is low and a guidance value for radon in drinking water is not necessary. However, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recently issued a dose coefficient for radon ingestion, raising questions among some radiation protection authorities about whether radon guidance values should be calculated for drinking water and how this might be done. Unlike many other radionuclides considered in drinking water management, radon has special characteristics and therefore requires special considerations. This note discusses some of these considerations, and also provides a brief review of radon concentrations measured in well-water supplies, especially private well-water systems, and cold tap water consumption rates reported in different countries.