Testing
- Uranium: part of the inorganic chemicals test (Kit C, $100).1
- Gross alpha radiation (energy given off as certain radioactive elements break down)2: Kit RA, $45.1
Order from the Lab’s webstore or call 802-338-4724.1 You can’t see, smell or taste them. They can seep into a well from nearby rock, so testing is the only way to know.2
Is my result a problem?
| Element | Vermont drinking water standard |
|---|---|
| Uranium | 0.020 mg/L (milligrams per liter) |
| Combined radium 226/228 | 5 pCi/L |
| Adjusted gross alpha | 15 pCi/L |
Above any of these, treat your water. A gross alpha result over 5 pCi/L needs more calculation or testing.2
Treatment options
- Reverse osmosis removes all of them; choose a system certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 58.2
- A water softener lowers radium, not uranium.2
- Anion exchange lowers uranium, not radium.2
A water treatment professional can tell you which system fits; the Health Department points to the Water Quality Association directory.2,3 Retest after any system is installed.2
Test your air for radon too
Radon may be present where these elements are.2 How to test your home
By town
Across the towns the Health Department shows (20 or more results each), 1.1% of uranium results and 6% of gross alpha results were above the standard, by our count.4,5
Uranium, 205 towns
Above 0.020 mg/L. Vermont Department of Health, retrieved October 25, 2026.4
Gross alpha, 179 towns
Above 15 pCi/L, as the Health Department’s map counts it. Vermont Department of Health, retrieved October 25, 2026.5
Common questions
Does the standard Vermont well test check for uranium and radium?
The Health Department’s Homeowner Testing Package includes inorganic chemicals (with uranium) and gross alpha radiation, every five years. Radon is a separate test.1
What uranium level in well water is too high?
Vermont’s drinking water standard for uranium is 0.020 mg/L; above it, the Health Department recommends treating your water.2
How do you remove uranium or radium from well water?
Reverse osmosis removes both. A water softener lowers radium but not uranium; anion exchange lowers uranium but not radium.2
Last reviewed How we source facts
Sources
5 official sources
- Vermont Department of Health. How to Test Your Drinking Water. Checked 2026-10-23. ↩
- Vermont Department of Health. Gross Alpha Radiation, Uranium and Radium in Drinking Water. Checked 2026-10-25. ↩
- Water Quality Association (WQA). Find Certified Professionals. Checked 2026-10-19. ↩
- Vermont Department of Health. Uranium in private drinking water by town (Vermont Tracking map data, JSON). Checked 2026-10-25. ↩
- Vermont Department of Health. Gross alpha radiation in private drinking water by town (Vermont Tracking map data, JSON). Checked 2026-10-25. ↩
