High levels of uranium found in wells in western Connecticut
As many as 16 well water systems serving thousands of people in the state of Connecticut have found high levels of uranium in their water, according to a December 14 article in the Hartford Courant.
While officials from the Connecticut Department of Health’s water section continue to investigate how widespread the problem is, state and communities involved are grappling with the information.
Uranium, a naturally occurring radioactive element, is found as a trace metal in bedrock throughout the Northeast. Connecticut health officials said in the article that getting a handle on uranium contamination is tricky because there is no sure way to know, when a well is drilled, whether the water in it will be contaminated.
The Hartford Courant reported that most of the contaminated sites in Connecticut are in the western part of the state.