This study was undertaken to determine if dissolution of ²²⁶Radium from pipe-scale deposits contributes to enhanced waterborne ²²⁶Radium concentrations at the point of use. Water samples were collected from residential water customers of a small rural Iowa town. Sites were evenly divided between new and old water main connections. Daily samples were collected from the point-of-entry water. Point-of-use ²²⁶Radium concentrations ranged from 0.4 to 12.9 pCi L⁻¹ (0.01 to 0.5 Bq L⁻¹). The mean ²²⁶Radium concentration for homes connected to old water mains was significantly higher than the mean ²²⁶Radium concentration of homes connected to new water mains, mean(standard deviation) equal 8.3(1.1) and 5.3(0.8) pCi L⁻¹ [0.3(1.1) and 0.2(0.8) Bq L⁻¹], respectively. ²²⁶Radium concentrations of the point-of-entry water ranged from 5.0 pCi L⁻¹ to 10.3 pCi L⁻¹ (0.2 Bq L⁻¹ to 0.4 Bq L⁻¹). This study indicates considerable variability of ²²⁶Radium exposure from drinking water among residents of the same water supply and has implications for regulatory compliance and exposure assessment in epidemiologic studies