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Beryllium is a naturally occurring element that can be found in rocks, soil, and water. It is a lightweight metal that is used in various industries, including electronics, and telecommunications. In well water, beryllium can be present in small amounts due to natural sources or human activities. Beryllium is listed as a primary contaminant by the USEPA because it can lead to health problems, especially respiratory issues.
What are the effects of beryllium in well water?
Breathing in or drinking beryllium can cause health problems. Inhaling it can causes the person's lungs to swell causing pain, and long-term exposure can increase the chance for cancer. When ingested, beryllium is not as big as a concern because it is not easily absorbed by the intestines. However, it can cause intestinal problems, especially in children and infants.
When should I test for beryllium in my well water?
The USEPA recommends removing beryllium if greater than 0.004 milligrams per liter (mg/l) or 4 parts per billion (ppb). A water test for metals will provide information on the levels of beryllium in your water. To ensure you are protecting your family’s health, we have developed a set of recommendations for testing that are provided in our article, "What do I need to know about sampling my well water?". When testing your well water you will very rarely be testing for only one thing — like beryllium — and instead testing for a suite of constituents that are important to identify if in your drinking water.
What treatment should I use if there is beryllium in my well water?
How do I remove beryllium from my water?
Once you test and have decided to treat your water to remove beryllium, the Minnesota Department of Health has developed a Home Water Treatment Guide that covers treatment for any common constituent in well water. The most important advice we can provide you is if you are going to add treatment to your home water system, be sure the treatment device has been certified to remove iron by an independent third-party certification organization.
Where can I get local help and information about beryllium in my well water?
Contact your local health department – They can help you interpret your sample results and may have information on the best treatment options for your situation. If they personally aren’t able to answer your questions, they will know who to contact who will be able to help you, likely at your state health department.
Contact a water treatment professional - we would recommend contacting a water treatment professional who has been certified through the Water Quality Association’s Professional Certification Program.
State or Federal Geologic or Water Resource Agency – they may have completed field studies of your area or collected samples from water wells to map and understand the water quality in your state. In addition, they may house water well logs, including yours, or be able to provide additional information about the aquifer your well is getting water from.
Consult your well driller or drilling contractor – the contractor that drilled your well, and other local contractors, may be aware of the water quality issues nearby including beryllium, and might have worked with other well owners in your area to solve this issue .
Research online – you should be inquisitive; it will help you significantly because there may be great information available online. Use search terms like “my state (CA, ME, IL, etc.) water well logs”, “my state groundwater quality”, or “my state well water quality”.
Contact us directly – if these other local sources don’t work out for you, we may be able to help. We may be able to provide direct assistance, and/or direct you to a technical assistance provider in your area who can help answer your questions (free service funded by USEPA).
Additional Resources
Beryllium in Drinking Water Wells. 2022. The University of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Department of Public Health.
Want to learn more about your private well and how to care for it?
Sign up for the free 10-week email course from PrivateWellClass.org. The class is a project of RCAP and the University of Illinois, with funding from USEPA.
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