About 12 percent of 616 private wells recently tested in upstate South Carolina contain uranium levels that exceed the safe drinking water standard, state health officials report.
Daphne Neel, of the state's Department of Health and Environmental Control, told the South Carolina Budget and Control Board that, so far, 76 private wells exceeded the safe drinking water standard for uranium. In addition, 322 public wells have been tested and seven of those contained excessive uranium.