Arsenic in well water

[Hazel33]

Hello all!

I’m in the process of building a new home. I recently found out that my well water has elevated levels of arsenic. I believe the initial sample was collected at the time the well was installed and the arsenic was 22ppb. A few days later the builder collected a second sample that came back at 11ppb.

Rather than pay for a whole house arsenic filter, the builder has decided to keep retesting until he gets lucky and hits a level of 10ppb which will allow him to get a Certificate of Occupancy. Today I found out that the most recent sample that was submitted to the County for occupancy purposes was collected after letting the water run for 2 solid days.

I can only assume that the builder must think that the level will be diluted out enough to get his magic number. Does anyone know how letting water run for 48 hours would affect the arsenic level?

When I give my 2 year old a glass of water to drink, I won’t be letting the water run for 2 days prior in order to “flush” out the arsenic and that’s where my concern lies. I feel like a water test that is performed for the purpose of occupancy should be done in a manner that reflects how the water will actually be used by the occupants.

 

[Valveman]

10 ppb is a very small amount. The limit was 50 ppb for the longest time, and there are lots of hundred year old people who were raised on that without problems. It is certainly not going to hurt anything in a shower or toilet. Just get an under sink filter for the drinking water only. No sense in filtering toiler water.

In a few years they will probably decide that RO water is so pure and steals stuff from your body enough that a little arsenic is less of a problem. I still don't know if eggs are good or bad.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

My raw water has 6 ppb arsenic. I was not worried about it. I got a backwashing iron+H2S filter. I was surprised that that not only took out the iron and smell, the treated water had arsenic below the 2 ppb detection level of the water test.

So if you have iron, you could probably get the same happy result. While my filter uses Centaur Carbon, I expect Katalox Light would have that effect too. But you have to have the iron in the water to make this work. See https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/im-99-sold-on-this-air-injection-system-for-my-sulfer-removal.80504/#post-582468 #8.

Maybe you and the builder could split the cost, because you would be getting a real water upgrade.

 

[Hazel33]

My raw water has 6 ppb arsenic. I was not worried about it. I got a backwashing iron+H2S filter. I was surprised that that not only took out the iron and smell, the treated water had arsenic below the 2 ppb detection level of the water test.

So if you have iron, you could probably get the same happy result. While my filter uses Centaur Carbon, I expect Katalox Light would have that effect too. But you have to have the iron in the water to make this work. See https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/im-99-sold-on-this-air-injection-system-for-my-sulfer-removal.80504/#post-582468 #8.

Maybe you and the builder could split the cost, because you would be getting a real water upgrade.

My raw water has 6 ppb arsenic. I was not worried about it. I got a backwashing iron+H2S filter. I was surprised that that not only took out the iron and smell, the treated water had arsenic below the 2 ppb detection level of the water test.

So if you have iron, you could probably get the same happy result. While my filter uses Centaur Carbon, I expect Katalox Light would have that effect too. But you have to have the iron in the water to make this work. See https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/im-99-sold-on-this-air-injection-system-for-my-sulfer-removal.80504/#post-582468 #8.

Maybe you and the builder could split the cost, because you would be getting a real water upgrade.

If the final arsenic result comes in above 10ppb, the builder plans to install a whole house arsenic filter and will pay the full cost. We spoke to the well driller who also recommended we install an iron filter if we want to lower the arsenic even further and also said it will help prolong the life of the more expensive arsenic filter. We plan to install that after closing on the house. If I didn’t have little kids I probably wouldn’t be as concerned. I’m just a little paranoid when it comes to their safety.

 

[Reach4]

If the iron filter also takes care of the arsenic, it seems to your advantage to have that system that does both.

Is this arsenic filter a cartridge filter? You would not want your iron filter to be a cartridge.

 

[Michael Klein86]

Hi there!
I've just moved to a new home and the water here so bad that it turns tubs and clothes orange due to buildup over time. I think it is because of arsenic. Could you recommend one water filter that can remove this chemical? Thanks in advance!

 

[Reach4]

Hi there!
I've just moved to a new home and the water here so bad that it turns tubs and clothes orange due to buildup over time. I think it is because of arsenic. Could you recommend one filter that can remove this chemical? Thanks in advance!

Arsenic in well water is colorless. Orange usually means iron. You need a lab water test.

The good news is that many backwashing filters that remove iron also remove arsenic at the same time, but you may not even have significant arsenic. I don't know if softeners that are removing iron also remove arsenic at the same time.

 

[Michael Klein86]

Arsenic in well water is colorless. Orange usually means iron. You need a lab water test.

The good news is that many backwashing filters that remove iron also remove arsenic at the same time, but you may not even have significant arsenic. I don't know if softeners that are removing iron also remove arsenic at the same time.

yep I would test it. THAnks so much for your advice.

 

[Bannerman]

The Standard well package from National Labs is usually recommended in the Water Softener forum.

http://watercheck.myshopify.com/?aff=5

 

[2stupid2fixit]

I agree with the best advice given before, spend the money on the high end test. Then and only then will you know what is actually in your well water.
There are people I know that have wells that produce so much harmless solids in the water that you pretty much have to chew it before swallowing it, and it will give you more vitamins and minerals that expensive supplements in vitamin stores. But it was tested and found to be not only harmless but pretty darn good for you water.

ON THE OTHER HAND...

There are other people that have wells where the water that flows from them looks so pristine and so sparking and so pure, and it has no odor and stains nothing, you might expect it to be $Alot of money to buy it in bottles from a foo foo store like Whole Waters (not whole Airs or Whole Lands or Whole... you get the idea) , but little did they know, many years before they had the house with a well there a used to be a company right up the road back in the day reconditioned golf cart and other big industrial batteries. You can guess what what went into the groundwater. That well water would cause things that make cancer seem like no big deal.

Pay to get it tested. At least you will know.