A mineral and component of soil, plants, and animals, copper is an essential nutrient for all living things. Although individuals need traces of copper in their body in order to maintain optimum health, too much copper can be bad for one’s health. Much of copper water is the result of industrial pollution, mining wastewater, and the erosion of rocks containing copper which can all potentially contaminate drinking water. Copper and water also have another connection in that copper pipes are often used in plumbing systems. If these pipes begin to corrode, an unhealthy amount of copper might find its way into your drinking water.
Because copper can find its way into virtually any product that we put inside our body, it’s important to try to limit how much copper we are exposed to. Traces of copper in regular drinking water is generally low, but can be intensified in areas around industrial plants, mining sites, or areas where copper pipes are corroded. The corroding of copper pipes is the biggest cause of copper water and the most potentially harmful. Some of the foods that have a healthy amount of copper in them include shellfish, leafy greens, nuts, and grains. Daily intake of copper from these types of foods is usually around 2mg per day.
According to experts, copper water can increase the daily intake of a person’s copper by about 45 percent. To avoid copper poisoning, the body excretes most of the undigested copper, but it can still buildup in the filtration systems of the body such as the liver and kidneys. Initial health signs of copper poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Extended exposure to copper water can result in failure of the liver or the kidneys.
When it comes to copper and water, the situation can be relatively tricky. One’s first inclination might be to boil the water to get rid of the copper. This should not be done under any circumstance. Boiling will cause some of the water to evaporate and create a higher concentration of copper within the mixture. If the copper is coming from a corroded copper pipe, it might be necessary to flush your entire system or replace the corroded copper pipe before the water is safe to drink again.
Before taking any drastic measures, simply run the faucet for a few minutes before drinking. The water flushed from the system can be used for watering plants or other uses that don’t involve drinking. A flush will get rid of the copper buildup in the water system and create a more purified flow after a few minutes. Other water treatment systems can also help purify copper water.
Copper water is not necessarily a life-threatening circumstance, but if you’re not careful about copper intake, it could cause minor or severe health problems. If your water starts to taste funny or you know about corroded copper pipes, it might be necessary to take action to avoid drinking too much copper water. Although essential to our survival copper and water fall into the category of something that can potentially be too much of a good thing.
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