Arsenic Removal From Home Drinking Water
Arsenic removal from home drinking water is a matter every home in North America should take seriously. Why? Consider a National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) report done in 2000. This report stated that conservatively, at least 34 million Americans across 25 American states were drinking tap water which contained levels of arsenic that pose unacceptable cancer risks. The NRDC further estimates that figure may be as high as 56 million.
What Is Arsenic
It is a highly poisonous semi-metallic element that is colorless, odorless and tasteless when present in water. Arsenic in tap water can either be in pentavalent or trivalent for.
Potential Source of Contamination Arsenic can get into residential drinking water from the runoff from ground water, industrial waste, orchards and smelters. U.S. industries put out thousands of pounds of arsenic into the environment annually. Health Concerns Arsenic contamination of drinking water may cause all type of cancers such as bladder, kidney, liver, lung and skin cancer. It may also cause birth defects, central nervous system, heart and reproductive problems. Maximum Contaminant Level Water providers must follow the Environmental Protect Agency (EPA) regulations and allow no more than 0.010 parts per million (10 parts per billion) of arsenic in drinking water. Is Arsenic In My Home Drinking Water? Because arsenic in drinking water has no color, smell or taste, it is only detectable when water testing is conducted. Check your yellow pages for water testers or call the EPA hotline at 1-800-426-4791/(703) 412-3330 for info on where to get an analysis done on your tap water. You can also call your municipal water provider and get a report on all the bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants found in your tap water. However, this report may not provide information on whether or not arsenic was previously present in drinking water. Therefore, it is of great importance that you acquire a quality drinking water filter as it is the best way to get round-the-clock protection against arsenic in your drinking water. Arsenic Removal From Home Drinking Water To reduce arsenic levels, get a drinking water purifier that is certified to NSF 58. These reverse osmosis filters are certified to NSF 58 standard. A water distiller can also remove the arsenic from drinking water. There are also specialty arsenic water filtering systems that are designed for commercial, kitchen and whole house uses. Be aware that the water treatment method you use should depend on which form of arsenic is present in your water supply. Trivalent arsenic is generally harder to remove from drinking water than pentavalent arsenic. Therefore if your household has pentavalent arsenic, it is best to use reverse osmosis or distillation to make your water safer. Don't ignore the potential of arsenic contamination of your drinking water. Yes, government regulation helps to protect consumers from this threat. However, for better protection, install a quality water filtration system for maximum arsenic removal from home drinking water. |