TOWER- Recent testing of the public water supply in selected homes in Tower showed elevated levels of copper, with three of ten locations sampled having levels above the Safe Drinking Water Act action level of 1,300 parts per billion, or ppb. All the homes tested below the safe limit for lead.
“The copper is coming from copper plumbing fixtures inside homes, not our well water or the water treatment plant,” said wastewater plant supervisor Matt Tuchel. Testing of the water directly from the wells shows very low levels of copper, just 6 ppb. One of the home’s water test results in Tower showed a level of 1,552 ppb.
Tuchel said they are conducting testing every six months, until the levels drop back to normal.
The new filtration plant is also undergoing some testing to find the best mix of corrosion control inhibitors that will help prevent the corrosion of copper from household plumbing.
According to Tuchel, the testing for copper has not been recently done for Soudan’s water supply but is scheduled for next year. Tuchel said the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency implemented stricter testing protocols two years ago, which upped the testing timetable as well as the number of sites to be sampled.
Copper is a metal that occurs naturally in the rocks in the region. Copper is also used in parts for plumbing systems.
Copper is an essential nutrient but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of time can experience gastrointestinal distress, generally from levels over 3,000 ppb. Over many years, people can suffer liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson’s Disease and some infants are more sensitive to copper since they are not able to get rid of excess copper easily.
Copper can also leach into drinking water as the water passes through copper plumbing systems. Over time, water lines typically build up a natural coating that keeps water from absorbing copper from the plumbing. Water may have more copper if your plumbing is less than three years old, you are using warm or hot water which absorbs more copper from the plumbing system, or if you have a water softener, which can mean there is not as much of a protective coating built up on the inside of your pipes. Settings on a water softener can be adjusted to make this less likely.
Reducing your exposure
Homeowners can reduce the level of copper in their drinking water by letting their water run 30 – 60 seconds before using it for drinking or cooking. If you have lead service lines, you should let your water run longer, 3 – 5 minutes. To reduce wasting water, you can do tasks like dishwashing, collecting tap water for cleaning or watering plants, or showering, before using water for drinking and cooking. People can keep a container of drinking water in their refrigerator to reduce how often you need to let water run.
People should use cold water for drinking, preparing food, or making baby formula. Hot water releases more copper from pipes than cold water.
In most cases, letting the water run and using cold water for drinking and cooking should keep copper levels low in your drinking water. If you are concerned, you can get your water tested. Search for accredited laboratories at eldo.web.health.state.mn.us/public/accreditedlabs/labsearch.seam. Two accredited labs located in Virginia are RMB Environmental Laboratories and Pace Analytical Services. Be sure to check with both because testing costs may vary widely. If your tap water tests over 1,300 ppb after running it for 30 – 60 seconds, you may want to consider water treatment options. Water softeners and reverse osmosis can remove copper from drinking water. There are also water pitchers and under-sink filters that remove copper from drinking water, but they do require filter replacement on a regular schedule, depending on the number of gallons filtered.
Any resident with questions about the issue of elevated levels of copper in their water can call Tower City Hall at 218-753-4070.