Copper in Water

Copper in water (Cu+3) and drinking water can be derived from rock weathering; however the principal Sources are the corrosion of brass and copper piping. Furthermore, the addition of copper salts to water when treating for algae can cause copper in drinking water. Copper is required by our bodies for proper nutrition. Insufficient amounts of copper leads to iron deficiency. However, high doses of copper in water can cause liver damage or anemia. The taste threshold for copper in drinking water is 2 - 5 mg/l. The US EPA has proposed a maximum copper water contaminant level (MCL) or water copper levels of 1.3 mg/l for copper.

Copper Water Treatment - One effective copper water treatment removal option is with sodium form strong acid cation resin (water softener) dependent on the concentration. If the cation resin is regenerated with acid performance will be enhanced. Reverse osmosis (RO Water Systems) or electrodialysis will remove 97 - 98 % of the copper in the water supply. Activated carbon filtration (carbon water filters) will also remove copper in water by adsorption.