Private wells
Radon in Well Water in York, PA
Pennsylvania has a lot of private wells, and radon can show up in well water as well as in indoor air. This page explains how the two are different, when a water test makes sense, and how water radon is treated. Our local data covers airborne radon, so this page is about the water question specifically.
Air radon and water radon are different
The radon most York homeowners worry about is airborne: gas that seeps from soil under the home and builds up indoors. Radon can also dissolve into groundwater, so a home on a private well can have radon in its water. The two come from the same gas but enter the home differently and are measured differently.
Water radon matters because running water releases radon gas indoors, especially during showering. But the airborne system under your slab does nothing for water radon, and a water treatment system does nothing for soil gas under the home.
Where the York data is, and where it is not
Our local figures cover airborne radon, because that is what the Pennsylvania DEP records in volume. Of 81,840 basement radon tests reported to DEP across York County, 56.5% came in at or above the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L. That tells you airborne radon is common here, and testing your air is the priority.
Source: Pennsylvania DEP, Radon Test Results (data.pa.gov), tests through July 2026. Retrieved September 30, 2026. These are tests reported to DEP by certified labs and testers, not a random sample of homes.
This page does not publish a York County water radon average because we do not have one to cite. If your home is on a private well, treat water radon as a separate question to ask your tester or the PA DEP about directly, not something the air test answers.
How water radon is tested
A water radon test is a separate lab test of a water sample, not the same kit you set on a basement shelf. It is usually ordered when a home is on a private well and an airborne test is already elevated, or when a buyer or lender asks for it.
Start with an airborne test either way. If that is elevated and you are on a private well, ask a PA DEP-certified tester whether a water test makes sense for your situation. See our radon testing in York, PA page for the air side.
How water radon is treated
Water radon is handled at the point of entry, not under the slab. The two common approaches are aeration, which strips radon out of the water and vents it outside, and granular activated carbon (GAC), which filters it out. Aeration is the more common choice for higher levels.
These systems are a different category of equipment from a sub-slab radon fan, and Pennsylvania's certification rules for water treatment differ from its radon mitigation rules. For the official guidance, see the EPA and PA DEP links on our trusted sources page.
Ask a question
Contact Us
York PA Radon Guide
17 E Market St., Suite C, York, PA 17401
Phone: 717-714-3297
Our team is based in downtown York, PA and helps local homeowners understand radon testing, mitigation, and hiring certified help. Always verify individual contractor certifications directly with the PA DEP.
Next steps for York, PA homeowners
- 1
Test if you have not already. A short-term kit or a professional test is the starting point, not a guess based on your neighbor's result.
- 2
Confirm your result. Know your actual number before deciding on next steps.
- 3
If elevated, contact PA DEP-certified mitigators. Use the state directory, not a general contractor search.
- 4
Retest after work is completed. A finished install should come with a follow-up test that confirms the fix actually worked.