State officials are preparing to test public water in Luckey, Ohio, following a recent investigation by The Toledo Blade that uncovered elevated levels of radioactivity in the area’s groundwater. The newspaper’s independent testing found radon contamination at multiple locations, raising concern among residents and leading to a packed crowd at the latest village council meeting.
According to The Blade, nearly half of the 39 samples collected showed levels of radioactivity at least 10 times higher than typical background readings. Some of the most concerning results came from public spaces, including a drinking fountain at Eastwood Middle School and the Luckey Library, where one sample registered 45 times the normal levels. Testing near the village athletic fields reportedly showed readings more than 1,700 times higher than background levels.
In response to the findings, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Department of Health announced plans to collect water samples from Eastwood Local School buildings and Pemberville library sites next week. A statement from the Ohio EPA noted that while preliminary data suggests current levels remain within state and federal drinking water standards, further testing is being done out of caution. Officials also pointed out that radon can occur naturally in groundwater.
The concerns come amid Luckey’s long history of environmental challenges. Cleanup efforts related to a former beryllium plant site have been ongoing for years. Earlier reporting by 13 ABC’s I-TEAM highlighted debates over proposals to use water from a nearby quarry, which officials had said met EPA safety guidelines.
For more information, you can view the full reports from The Toledo Blade and 13 ABC.
