Radon in Water: Sources, Limits & How to Remove It | ClearFit
The short answer on radon
Water radon has no federal limit — EPA proposed 300 pCi/L in 1991 and never finalized it, so state guidance carries the load. The counterintuitive, money-saving sequence: test your indoor AIR first ($15 kit, a few days) — because water radon's main risk is the gas it releases into your air during showers, and the air test prices the whole problem. Aeration removes water radon safely at high levels… The details — sources, official limits and honest removal methods — are in the complete guide: The complete radon guide.
How to remove radon — what actually works
| Technology | Where it lives | What to demand on paper |
|---|---|---|
| GAC carbon bed + aeration | Point-of-use or whole-house system per spec | Named NSF/ANSI protocol or third-party lab sheet for the exact model |
If a listing claims radon reduction and cannot name the standard or show the lab sheet, assume it does not have one. That single check filters out most of the market.
Can your refrigerator filter handle radon?
A certified carbon cartridge helps with this class — check the claim on your exact part number. Fridge cartridges are built for chlorine, taste and odor (NSF/ANSI 42), plus lead and cysts on certified 53 tiers. If radon is your concern, keep the fridge cartridge for what it does well and put the right technology where you drink: see what your fridge model takes, then match the removal stage to the contaminant.
Often found together
- Uranium in water — same source profile or shared treatment media; check your test report for the neighbor line items.
- Radium in water — same source profile or shared treatment media; check your test report for the neighbor line items.
Radon questions, answered straight
Does boiling water remove radon?
Boiling is a concentration step, not a filter: water leaves as steam and whatever is dissolved stays behind, so levels rise by roughly the volume lost. The only heat-based method that works is distillation — capturing and condensing the steam. For radon specifically, see the full guide.
Is my refrigerator water filter enough for radon?
A certified carbon cartridge helps with this class — check the claim on your exact part number. Match the technology to the contaminant, not the badge on the box.
How do I find out my actual radon level?
On city water, your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report lists it free. On a well, a lab mail-in panel is the reliable route — the test-first card above links our guide to reading the results.
What removes radon from drinking water?
The technologies with a track record for radon: gac carbon bed + aeration. Claims worth having come with a named standard (NSF/ANSI protocol or third-party lab sheet) — buy where the certificate names the exact part number.
Go deeper
Every contaminant, one page each
48 water problems from EPA primary, secondary and unregulated lists — sources, official limits, and which filters actually work (and which honestly don’t). Browse the Water Problems A–Z →