Sejong, August 1 - The Ministry of Environment (ME, Minister Han Wha-jin) and the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER, President Kim Dong-jin) investigated the actual condition of naturally occurring radiative materials (NORMs) in the privately owned groundwater tube wells used for drinking water. They plan to secure drinking water safety by providing reduction devices to those tube wells with high exposure to NORMs. According to the National Groundwater Information Center, roughly 85,000 of the 1.68 million groundwater tube wells registered in the country are private. 

In 2021, NIER investigated the actual condition of naturally occurring radiative materials (NORMs) of 7,036 private tube wells, including uranium and radon. Of those, 148 wells (2.1%) and 1,561 wells (22.2%) had excessive levels of uranium and radon, respectively, when tested for potable water standards and water quality monitoring criteria. Uranium* levels in drinking water must be under 30 ㎍/L as per the Guideline on the Drinking Water Quality Standard and Testing, and the Notice on the Management of Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Criteria stipulates radon** levels under 148 Bq/L. 

The Ministry of Environment and NIER plan to inform the owners of the private tube wells with high exposure to NORMs with test results and guidance on reducing radioactive materials. For groundwater tube wells with a high concentration of NORMs, the government will provide water purifiers and reduction devices after a demand survey. The local governments will convince the owners of groundwater tube wells with a high concentration of NORMs not to use them for drinking water but instead use the water for residential purposes. Additionally, each local government having jurisdiction over the target area will devise a mid-to-long-term plan to expand regional waterworks or small-scale water facilities.

Based on research on NORMs found in domestic groundwater tube wells, NIER claimed that reverse osmosis filtering can remove uranium with 97% efficiency and that an aeration system can reduce radon levels by over 86%1. Due to Korea's unique geological features, over 70% of its rocks are granites and metamorphic, and certain regions may have significant NORM readings.

Kim Dong-gu, Director-General of Integrated Water Policy Bureau, said, "Considering the fact that the majority of people benefited from private tube wells live in areas where water supply systems do not reach, the Ministry of Environment plans to provide reduction devices to the owners of private well with a high concentration of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs)."

1 (How to reduce uranium levels) Undergo a purifying process, including reverse osmosis; (How to reduce radon levels). Undergo a boiling or aeration process (air injection), or leave the water at room temperature or in a refrigerator for at least three days.

Contact: Kim Duk-bae, Deputy Director

Soil and Groundwater Division / +82-(0)44-201-7183

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr