Demystifying the Health Effects of Copper in Drinking Water
- Published:
- Updated: January 2, 2025
Summary
Demystifying the health effects of copper in drinking water is essential. Here’s a breakdown:
- Copper’s presence: Naturally occurring in water, copper can come from minerals or plumbing.
- Importance for health: Copper is vital for various bodily functions and can benefit collagen production and immune system health.
- Risks of excess: Too much copper can lead to toxicity, causing symptoms like nausea and, in severe cases, organ damage.
Copper is naturally found in the crust, soil and water of the planet. It can be introduced to the water supply by copper-mineral dissolved in the water source or from copper pipes corroding. Drinking water can have different copper concentrations based on the acidity, temperature, and mineral scale protective layer in the plumbing.
In the US, the maximum acceptable limit of copper in drinking water is 1.3 mg per liter (mg/L) according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This rule is based on the health impacts of copper and the feasibility of water treatment, testing and monitoring.
What is the importance of copper in maintaining human health?
Copper is an indispensable trace element for us. It is a part of several bodily functions, such as energy generation, iron metabolism, brain development, and the immune and cardiovascular systems. Copper is also an essential part of many enzymes and proteins that are essential for normal functioning of our body.
When a diet is lacking in copper, this results in deficiency – anemia, low white blood cell count, nerve damage. Yet there are few such deficiencies, particularly in industrialised countries, where copper can be found easily in leafy greens, potatoes, whole grains and shellfish.
The Potential Health Benefits of Copper in Drinking Water
Just the right percentage of copper in your water supply can be good for you in a variety of ways. Copper helps make collagen, which is a protein that keeps bones, skin, and blood vessels healthy. It also helps the body to absorb iron which is necessary to avoid anemia.
Copper, also helps to support a strong immune system. It encourages the creation of white blood cells, which defend the body against disease. And there’s research that also shows that copper could be beneficial to your heart health because it lowers cholesterol and keeps your heart beat healthy.
The Risks of Excessive Copper in Drinking Water
Just the right amount of copper can be helpful, but if you are drinking water that contains too much copper, you might be doing yourself a grave. : Copper toxicity can produce acute symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and indigestion. Consuming high levels of copper on a long-term basis can be fatal for liver or kidney disease.
Moreover, there are population classes more exposed to the negative impacts of high copper consumption. They are the members of the Wilson’s disease – a rare genetic disease in which copper build-up is an overgrowth in the body – and people with chronic liver disease, since the liver is so weak it is incapable of excreting excess copper.
Symptoms and Signs of Copper Toxicity
Copper toxicity symptoms are mild to extreme, depending on the dosage consumed. Symptoms of acute toxicity could be stomach pains, nausea, vomiting, cramping, and diarrhoea. If they’re felt shortly after using water from a copper pipe, such as warm water or that’s been sitting in the pipes overnight, it might be copper toxicity.
If the copper has been ingested in excess, more serious health problems can result, including liver and kidney damage, to neurological dysfunction in the worst cases. If you suspect that you or someone in your family is suffering from copper toxicity, don’t hesitate to see a doctor.
What are some mitigation measures that can be implemented to lower copper levels in drinking water?
If you’re dealing with high copper levels in your drinking water, there are several mitigation measures you can consider:
- Flushing Taps: If the water has been sitting in the pipes for several hours, flush the tap by running cold water for at least a minute before using it for drinking or cooking.
- Using Cold Water: Use cold water for drinking and cooking, as hot water dissolves copper more easily.
- Regularly Testing Water: Consider testing your water regularly if you have copper plumbing in your home. This will help you monitor copper levels and take necessary action.
- Installing Water Filters: Certain water filters can remove copper from drinking water. Look for a filter certified to NSF/ANSI standard 53 for copper reduction.
Understanding the Role of Water Treatment in Controlling Copper Levels
It is the water treatment plants that are responsible for keeping the copper level in our drinking water within acceptable levels. : pH adjusting, corrosion control and coagulation/filtration can reduce copper in water.
With pH adjusting, water is pH adjusted so copper will not dissolve. Corrosion treatment is where you inject a chemical into the water so that there is a protective layer inside the pipes which minimizes the amount of copper that dissolves in the water. : Coagulation and filtration filter out copper suspended in the water.
The Regulatory Landscape: What Authorities Say about Copper in Drinking Water
Authorities worldwide set guidelines on the highest level allowed in drinking water. It’s 2.0 mg/L according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1.3 mg/L according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
These parameters are derived from scientific studies that balance the health benefits of copper as a food-source with its health hazards in excess. Copper is required to be regularly checked in public water supply to make sure it meets these standards.
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