Uranium in drinking water not a concern on the Monterey Peninsula

Aninvestigation by the Associated Presswas done in California’s Central Valley. It found higher levels of uranium in drinking water. A result they say of irrigation, drought and the over pumping of natural underground water reserves.

Local water managers admit when we think uranium we often tend to think about nuclear sites. However uranium does naturally exist in the soils. When that soil is over irrigated uranium can seep into drinking water.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does have a set of standards in place for what’s safe and what’s not. While the water might not be safe other places around California, the levels on the Monterey Peninsula aren’t a concern.

“All of our testing on the Monterey Peninsula and for all of our systems show that we’re well below the limits. In fact, the limits is 20 and our results on the Peninsula are around 0.3,” said Director of Operations for California American Water Eric Sabolsice.

According to California American Water the biggest worry for the area is not uranium but seawater since the aquifer is next to the Pacific Ocean.

Officials with California Water Services, which serve the Salinas area, said all six of its systems are well under the maximum amount of uranium allowed. Twenty is the max and Salinas water ranges from 0.8 to five.