Arsenic In My Water?

That scared me too, when I first read it in the Green Valley history archives. Then, I got a notice 2 years ago that our water supply had 'unacceptable levels' of arsenic in them.  This occured when the EPA lowered their arsenic level standards.  I never drink water from the tap, so I was not concerned.  But, I started buying bottled water for my kitties after receiving this news.

Arsenic is a semi-metal element in the periodic table. It is odorless and tasteless. It enters drinking water supplies from natural deposits in the earth or from agricultural and industrial practices.  Approximately 90 percent of industrial arsenic in the U.S. is currently used as a wood preservative, but arsenic is also used in paints, dyes, metals, drugs, soaps and semi-conductors. High arsenic levels can also come from certain fertilizers and animal feeding operations. Industry practices such as copper smelting, mining and coal burning also contribute to arsenic in our environment.  Keep in mind that Green Valley is downhill from a couple of large copper mining operations.

The EPA set the arsenic standard for drinking water at .010 parts per million (10 parts per billion).  Water systems must be in compliance with this standard as of January 23, 2006.  Higher levels of arsenic tend to be found more in ground water sources than in surface water sources (i.e., lakes and rivers) of drinking water. The demand on ground water from municipal systems and private drinking water wells may cause water levels to drop and release arsenic from rock formations. Compared to the rest of the United States, western states have more systems with arsenic levels greater than EPA’s standard of 10 parts per billion (ppb).  In Pima County, we depend upon ground water as our main water source.

Arsenic can also enter the body through inhalation or eating contaminated dust.  This is normally of interest to those who work in certain industries.

Non-cancer effects can include thickening and discoloration of the skin, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting; diarrhea; numbness in hands and feet; partial paralysis; and blindness. Arsenic has been linked to cancer of the bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver, and prostate.

Your arsenic related exposure health risk is dependent on:

• Dose - how much arsenic you were exposed to
• Duration - how long you were exposed to the arsenic
• Type - whether the arsenic you were exposed to was organic or inorganic
• You - Your general health, age, lifestyle, and habits

By Federal law, water systems must test the drinking water they deliver and provide an annual water quality report to their customers.  This is commonly called a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).  You can call or contact your water supplier to find out the level of arsenic in the water at the time of the last report.  If the arseni level is above 0.01 mg/liter, the EPA recommends that you do not use it for drinking and cooking.  Keep in mind, that water treatment systems that use water softeners, carbon filters, and sediment filtration cannot adequately remove arsenic from your drinking water.

You can visit this website for more detailed information:
Community Outreach of University of Arizona Arsenic Information

And, our water supply company:
Community Water Company of Green Valley