Contaminated water at Fukushima enters groundwater

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said on September 5 that it detected a concentration of 650 becquerel per liter of groundwater near a tank that leaked water at the Fukushima Power Plant No.1.

>>>Japan spent over 400 million USD cleaning Fukushima

The detection of strontium and other beta rays showed the possibility of radioactive water from the reservoir sinking into the groundwater. Previously, TEPCO had reported about 300 tons of highly contaminated water leaked from this tank.

TEPCO said it took a sample of groundwater on September 4 in a well that was more than ten meters deep on the south side of the tank in H4 area where the water leak occurred.

Staff of the Japanese Nuclear Regulators near the radioactive water tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.(Source: EPA)

The radioactive concentration of groundwater found lower than the contaminated water in the tank may have been diluted by rainwater.

TEPCO believes that most of the leaked toxic water seeps into the soil and flows partly to the sea through a nearby sewer. It is not clear how much water is flowing into the sea.

The Japanese government plans to use water wells to pump groundwater into the sea before it enters the reactor-containing building to reduce about 400 tons of groundwater currently flowing into buildings every day.

The construction of the ice wall is also being planned to prevent water flow. However, according to the latest measurements, water in some wells is worried that it may also be contaminated.