Arsenic in Water and It's Removal

July 27, 2023

What is Arsenic?

Arsenic is a metalloid element that is found naturally in rocks, soil, and plants, and is extremely toxic to humans in most of it is forms.

Ingestion of arsenic can cause headaches, drowsiness, diarrhea and vomiting, and discoloration of the skin and fingernails. Over time, chronic arsenic exposure can lead to severe stomach pain, numbness in the extremities, convulsions, paralysis, and blindness.

Arsenic can get into drinking water through natural deposits in the ground that eventually contaminate aquifers and wells. It can also be released into the environment through careless use of agricultural fertilizers and pesticides, and coal burning, mining, and smelting operations.

Is it in my water?

Because arsenic has no taste, odor, or color, there really is no easy way to know if there is arsenic in your drinking water.

So if you get your water from a well or other private source, we strongly recommend that you regularly have your system tested for arsenic.

Removing arsenic from water

Studies show that reverse osmosis (RO) systems may be up to 95% effective in eliminating arsenic from drinking water, depending on actual concentrations. A detailed water analysis should always be performed before sizing or designing a solution.

Arsenic is found naturally in the soil, so it's often found in higher levels in groundwater than in other water sources. When large amounts of water are removed from the ground through wells and municipal systems, the arsenic that's naturally held in rocks may be exposed and released. In other words, the more the water is used in locations with high arsenic deposits, the more likely it is to be contaminated.

In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency has set the standard for arsenic in drinking water at 10 parts per billion (ppb).