Rising Levels of Arsenic in Drinking Water

Though most people think of rat traps or stories like the play-turned-film Arsenic and Old Lace when they hear the word "arsenic," this metalloid element, number 33 on the Periodic Table, has had an interesting and diverse history of interaction with humans. In addition to its rather nefarious role as a poison, arsenic is commonly used in the construction of semiconductors, and more occasionally as an ingredient in things like pesticides and rat poisons. Historically, it has even been included in some medicines. 

Although it occurs naturally in the environment, arsenic is a known toxin and carcinogen. For this reason, arsenic contamination of groundwater is a serious public health threat. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 100 million people in 50 different countries are exposed to concentrations of arsenic above the provisional guideline value of 10 μg/L.

Arsenic: A Growing Problem?

Although some level of arsenic in the environment is normal, certain events—both natural and human-caused—can result in increases in the level of arsenic in some areas. When those areas coincide with sources of drinking water or agricultural cultivation, this can be problematic. 

One study showed that wildfires may lead to increased arsenic concentrations in groundwater, especially if they occur in areas that contain mining waste, which tends to have particularly high levels of arsenic. And while most modern mines are carefully controlled for environmental impact, some areas still contain waste from mines that were operational before stricter regulations were implemented.

Additionally, the US Geological Survey recently released results from a study indicating that droughts may lead to higher levels of arsenic in private wells, which are not regulated by public infrastructure services. This likelihood increases the longer the drought goes on. 

What to Do about Arsenic 

Being aware of the quality of your drinking water is an important first step to ensuring your safety. Resources like the EWG's Tap Water Database can provide important information on which (if any) toxins are present at concentrations above the recommended legal limit—including arsenic. 

Unfortunately, many of the common methods for removing contaminants from water (such as boiling or chlorine disinfection) won't work for removing arsenic. If your drinking water contains high levels of arsenic, the CDC recommends methods such as reverse osmosis, ultra-filtration, distillation, or ion exchange, and also encourages people to have their well water tested once a year. 

With droughts leading to increased wildfire activity in the Western U.S., it’s never been more important to ensure you have safe drinking water, especially as arsenic levels rise. At Aqua Clara, we provide access to clean water by designing, developing, and disseminating clean water technologies to benefit those who live on less than $2 per day. We also aim to reduce the number of people who purchase bottled water by offering our Universal Cartridge Filter, which reduces many different contaminants and is now available at Wal-Mart. Our Universal Cartridge Filter fits most household filter products, includes a rubber seal to protect against contamination, and will purify your home's drinking water at a reasonable price. The proceeds from these filters help fund our projects all over the world, so consider helping us make a difference by purchasing a filter today!

About Aqua Clara International

Scientists long ago discovered how to purify unsafe water. To us, the central issue has been in designing solutions that are both sustainable and scalable and that can reach the millions in need while at the same time continuing to function without sustained outside input. Our target populations are those individuals and families who live on $2 per day or less.

We are a technology transfer organization. Our niche in clean water continues to be in designing science-based technologies that utilize locally available materials where possible and then transferring what we learn to those working in areas of need. The cost of our technologies varies by country and is dependent on the prevailing costs of raw materials, such as plastic containers, PVC piping, sand, etc. Learn more by visiting our website.