Potential Tritium Contamination Detected Near Mississippi River

Groundwater containing low levels of radioactive tritium may have reached the edge of the Mississippi River near the nuclear power plant in Monticello, Minnesota, following a leak from a faulty pipe. Xcel Energy, the energy company responsible for the leak, stated that tritium has not been detected in the river water itself and that any presence would be well below safe drinking water standards. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the state Department of Health have reassured the public that there is no immediate threat to public health or the safety of drinking water. The leak has raised concerns about aging pipelines and prompted questions about the safety of the nuclear plant.