Fleck Uranium & Radium System

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Oakland County’s water supply often originates from aquifer 112OTSH, where groundwater is drawn through wells of varying depths, typically between 11 and 49 feet. This aquifer serves as a significant source for residential water that reaches household taps through internal plumbing systems.

Plumbing Material and Age Separate from Source Water

Older plumbing can contribute metals independent of groundwater quality

• Materials such as lead pipes or galvanized steel may add metals unrelated to natural uranium or radium levels.
• Corrosion inside pipes can affect water quality but is not reflected in aquifer sampling data.
• Replacing or maintaining plumbing may improve water aesthetics and reduce metal release from pipes.

Plumbing does not change the naturally occurring alpha particle measurements in source water

Maintenance Rhythm of Effective Treatment Options

Treating uranium and radium requires media management

• Demand on treatment media depends on household water usage and uranium-radium concentration.
• The Fleck Uranium & Radium System features a grain capacity of 32,000, indicating when media replacement or regeneration is appropriate.
• Periodic checks of system performance help ensure continued effectiveness but no specialized tools or services are required to keep it ready to configure.

Order of Steps to Evaluate Household Water

Begin with plumbing and visual inspection

• Look for signs of staining or corrosion that may indicate metal interactions with plumbing, separate from uranium or radium concerns.
• Conduct a simple water test for general mineral presence before proceeding.

Follow with laboratory testing for alpha particle activity

• Only a certified lab test of your own water can determine specific uranium or radium levels.
• The government sampling in Oakland County aquifer 112OTSH reports alpha particle activity ranging from -0.6 to 7.0 pCi/L with a median of 2.45 pCi/L.
• No results in this dataset exceeded federal standards for uranium or radium presence.

Seasonal and Multi-Year Variations in Area Water Quality

Sampling window: August to September 2016

• The measurements reflect a brief late summer period across 15 wells sampled twice each.
• Variations in alpha particle levels are natural and influenced by factors like water table changes and well depth.
• Longer-term or seasonal testing may reveal different trends not captured here.

Entry of Uranium and Radium into Groundwater in Oakland County

Natural origin rather than industrial contamination

• Uranium and radium are naturally occurring elements from surrounding geologic formations.
• They dissolve from soil and rock under specific conditions, entering the groundwater over time.
• This process explains why detections were consistent across all sampled wells but under regulatory limits.

What NOT to Conclude from Area Sampling Data

Area data do not predict your well’s exact uranium-radium levels

• While the aquifer sampling gives regional context, your water’s actual content requires direct testing.
• A detection in the area is not a violation or proof of a health risk for your household water.
• The government records confirm no federal threshold was exceeded in the sampled wells, but your individual situation may differ.

If testing indicates elevated uranium or radium levels in your household water, the Fleck Uranium & Radium System is a documented solution designed to reduce these elements effectively. It ships ready to configure for residential water treatment needs, offering a manageable grain capacity that supports ongoing household use.

Where this information comes from

Source: USGS groundwater sampling. Sampled 2016-09-27. These figures describe groundwater sampled in this area. They are not a test of any individual private well - only a test of that well can establish its own water.

On record: U.S. Geological Survey sampling of Alpha particle in the 112OTSH aquifer (Oakland County): 30 results from 15 wells, median 2.45 pCi/L, range -0.6-7.0 pCi/L; none above any federal threshold