High radium levels likely a sampling error, according to officials
By Kellen Olshefski
Correspondent
Officials with the City of Elkhorn want to reassure residents that despite the detection of radium in a test sample of the drinking water at the Lakeland Water Plant this summer, City water is still safe to drink.
According to a letter sent out to residents, a water sample collected at the plant on June 19 indicated a 26.63 radium reading, above the State and Federal Safe Drinking Water Standards Maximum Contaminant Level of 5pCi/L.
However, City of Elkhorn Utilities Director John Murphy said based on historical averages of readings at the plant – which has been in use for many years and has never seen readings this high – it’s believed the high reading was actually a laboratory or sampling error.
Historically, both with and without the June 19 sampling included, historical averages of radium levels at the plant have remained below the 5pCi/L standard.
“Just as a safeguard, we’re going to leave that well off until we get three or four (samples) that are normal,” he said. “People don’t have to be alarmed, it’s just the process that we’re going through.”
Read more about the sample and what Murphy had to say in the Independent.
