Removing Copper From Potable Water

Use cold water for cooking and drinking. Hot water is more likely to leach copper. Run the cold water for 30 seconds to one minute to flush your pipes. This is especially important in the morning and when you return from work, because the copper content will be higher the longer the water sits in your pipes. Let the water run into a bucket or pot and use it for watering plants or cleaning. After flushing the pipes, fill several bottles of water and store them in your refrigerator so you don’t have to run the faucet every time you want a drink.

Consult a licensed electrician to find out if your electrical system and telephone line are grounded to your pipes; this can speed corrosion of the pipes and increase the amount of copper in your drinking water. Your electrician may be able to solve this problem by fixing your wiring.

Install a point-of-use water purifier with a filter that removes copper. The best filtration methods for copper are reverse osmosis and ion exchange. Distillation also works, but many people find the mineral-free water it produces unpalatable. Activated charcoal filters won't eliminate copper, but they may reduce it to safe levels. A point-of-use filter only removes copper from the faucet to which it's attached. Look for a brand certified by NSF International (see Resources).

Treat the water at the point of entry. If your region’s water is naturally acidic, you may need to install an acid-neutralizing filter where the water enters your house. The other option is to install a polyphosphate system that will protect your pipes from corrosive water. If testing indicates that the water entering your home is already contaminated with copper, you may need to install a point-of-entry reverse osmosis or ion exchange system. All of these solutions require a certified system and ongoing maintenance. Consult your local water department or a professional water-treatment firm for more information.

Replace copper pipes with plastic pipes that carry the NSF-PW or NSF-61 designation for potable water use. Complete replacement is a big job and may be too impractical or expensive for some homeowners. It’s also not a feasible option for renters. However, if pipes are the source of your copper contamination, this is a surefire way to eliminate the problem. Alternatively, you may be able to replace just those pipes that serve your main drinking faucet. Discuss this option with a licensed plumber.