[en] The investigation provides the first data of gross-α and gross-β activities in groundwater of the Haihe River Plain, China. Ranges of gross-α and gross-β activities vary from 17 to 362 mBq/L and from 18 to 779 mBq/L, respectively. These values are below the permissible limits given by the WHO for drinking water, but they do not include possible additional dose that may emanate from gaseous phases. Comparison of gross-α and gross-β activities with data from groundwater in other parts of China and globally suggests that precipitation rate has strong control on natural radioactivity in groundwater, particularly of shallow aquifers. (author)