'High uranium' in rural US drinking water

(Paul Henry)

Unhealthy levels of Uranium are seeping into the drinking water of major farming regions in parts of the United States.

While Uranium is a naturally occurring element, it is an unexpected by-product of irrigation and drought which can leak into water supplies.

Sixteen-year-old Giselle Alvarez says her family received a warning on their door that their water could be contaminated.

"The water had high uranium," she says. "[The warning said] it was OK to drink, you didn't have to boil it. It also said that if you drink it over a long period of time you might get cancer."

Long-term exposure to uranium can damage kidneys and raise cancer risks.

3 News

Contact Newshub with your story tips:
news@newshub.co.nz