Common terms used in drinking water guidelines may be an impediment for radiological protection

Because safe water is essential to public health, it is expected from the public point of view that all guidelines take a proactive and preventive approach to ensure the quality of drinking water. In health-based guidelines, the highest priority is given to manage and reduce the risk from pathogens in drinking water. Radioactivity in drinking water is generally a much lower health concern. Using common terms for various aspects covered in the guidelines creates consistency. This consistency works nicely for a document/standard, but it significantly overlooks the different characteristics between radiological protection and managing health risks associated with microbial contaminants in drinking water. Consequently, some common terms used in drinking water guidelines may become an impediment when communicating the health risk of radionuclides in drinking water to the public