Copper is an essential micronutrient in the human diet. The estimated daily dietary requirement for copper is 2.0 mg. Copper in drinking water will cause gastrointestinal disturbances at high levels. The 90th percentile action level for copper is 1.3 ppm. The highest copper level detected in the Battle Ground system is 0.9 ppm. Two liters per day of our most copper contaminated water would not even satisfy your dietary requirement for copper. Fortunately we acquire copper from other food sources.
Since 1993 we have taken 80 samples that were tested for
copper by a certified lab. These samples were of the kind most
likely to be contaminated with copper. I have also done my own
copper testing with very similar results. When our water is
allowed to stand most of a day in a copper service line, it will
leach up to 0.9 ppm of copper. Water standing in a service line
made of little or no copper will yield less than 0.1 ppm of
copper, often less than 0.02 ppm The limit of detection is .001 ppm.
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Edited 07/02/2004