Of the many different contaminants that can be found in our drinking water, arsenic is one that has been getting some of the most attention over the past few years. This colorless and odorless element has been linked to a number of serious health effects, and tens of millions of people in the United States have been exposed to unsafe levels of it from the water in their homes. So let’s take a look why arsenic in our drinking water is an issue and what you can do to remove it!
How does arsenic get in our drinking water?
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is found in rocks and soil. As source water travels to our local treatment plants (and eventually to our homes), it picks up small amounts of arsenic from the ground. Although local utilities take some steps to remove arsenic from our water, traces of it often remain in our home’s taps.
Along with being a naturally occurring element, arsenic is also produced from agricultural and industrial activities, which allows the element to get into source water through runoff or by seeping into the ground.
A brief history of arsenic in drinking water
For a long time, arsenic contamination was relatively dismissed in the United States. That’s because the arsenic levels that are found in our drinking water tend to be low, especially when compared to other countries. However, research over the past few years has indicated that even very low levels of long-term arsenic exposure can pose a number of serious health risks.
According to a recent article in the New York Times, “[Researchers] have changed their minds [about arsenic]. Long famed for its homicidal toxicity at high doses, a number of studies suggest that arsenic is an astonishingly versatile poison, able to do damage even at low doses.”
What are the effects of arsenic in our drinking water?
Arsenic exposure has been linked to a host of different health effects, including:
- Cognitive defects in children
- Respiratory problems
- Cardiovascular disease
- Various cancers: bladder, lung, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver and prostate
- Stomach pain, nausea and vomiting
How can you remove arsenic from your drinking water?
The best way to limit your exposure to arsenic in your drinking water is to install a whole house filtration system. North Carolina Water Consultants offers several filtration systems from Hague that are designed to remove arsenic from your water. Call us today if you’d like a free water analysis or if you’d like some help choosing the system that’s right for your home!
If you have any questions about arsenic in your drinking water, or if you’d like a water filtration system serviced or installed in your home, contact North Carolina Water Consultants. We’re the number one Hague Quality Water dealer in North and South Carolina, servicing towns like Clemmons, Statesville and Asheville, NC.