Home / Environment / Louviers Water Safe After Six Years of Radium Woes
Louviers Water Safe After Six Years of Radium Woes
29 Apr
Summary
- Louviers' tap water is now safe after a six-year radium contamination issue.
- A new treatment facility costing $1.5 million removed radium below 1 pCi/L.
- Ongoing infrastructure work includes replacing aging waterlines and seeking emergency water supply.
The water in Louviers, Colorado, a historic village founded in 1906, is now safe to drink, concluding a six-year battle with radium contamination. The issue first emerged in 2018 when tests revealed radium levels exceeding the EPA's maximum contaminant level of 5.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). This naturally occurring radioactive element posed a cancer risk to residents who consumed the water over extended periods.
The Louviers Water & Sanitation District faced the challenge of finding a solution, ultimately securing $1.5 million for a new water treatment facility. This funding, derived from American Rescue Plan dollars and grants from CDPHE and EPA, enabled the installation of an ion exchange filtration system. The system, operational since late 2025, has reduced radium levels to under 1 pCi/L, leading to the district being declared in compliance by CDPHE in March 2026.
While the new treatment system incurred an $8 monthly fee per tap for operations, the relief for residents is immense. Beyond the radium issue, the district is also undertaking $6.5 million in infrastructure improvements, including replacing aging waterlines with a $1 million EPA grant. A future priority is securing an emergency connection to a larger water provider to enhance fire flow capacity, a concern heightened by recent fire events.
