Arsenic is an odorless and tasteless semi-metal element that is naturally distributed in the earth’s crust. It’s found in either inorganic or organic forms.  Inorganic arsenic can be found in soils, sediments, and groundwater.  It occurs naturally, but may be also a result of mining and industrial uses of arsenic.  Organic arsenic is found in some fish and shellfish.  It used to be used in wood preservatives and pesticides, but that use is now restricted.

It can enter through the ground from natural sources, agricultural, or industrial activities.  It can also runoff into surface water sources.

Human exposure to arsenic can cause both short and long term health effects.  Short or acute effects can occur within hours or days of exposure.  Studies have shown that chronic or repeated ingestion of water with arsenic over a person’s lifetime is associated with increased risk of cancer (of the skin, bladder, lung, kidney, nasal passages, liver or prostate) and noncancerous effects (diabetes, cardiovascular, immunological and neurological disorders).

Prenatal and early childhood exposure to arsenic can increase the risk of lung cancer and respiratory disease later in life.  Arsenic exposure has also been associated with lower IQ scores in school-aged kids and can affect learning.

The current total arsenic standard for safe drinking water is 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) for public water systems.  Private wells are not regulated for arsenic or required to treat water containing arsenic but this standard is still used for guidance.

Your arsenic level is located directly under the word RESULT.  The symbol “<” means “less than”.  So if your results shows <0.001, that means that the arsenic level was below what the laboratory can detect.  And that’s good.  If your results show a number without the “<” symbol, that means that some arsenic was detected.  Anything less than 0.010 is considered safe to drink, prepare food, and use for any other purpose.

Any result higher than 0.010 should not be used for drinking or food preparation.  It is OK to use the water for showering, bathing, brushing your teeth, washing dishes and clothes in most cases.

Research shows that animals have varying degrees of sensitivities to arsenic.  However, the safe upper limit in drinking water for livestock is much higher than in humans.  In general, household pets should be drinking water that conforms to the same standards as for humans.

Boiling your water DOES NOT remove arsenic.  In fact, boiling can actually increase arsenic levels.

The most cost-effective method for removing arsenic from a private water supply appears to be reverse osmosis, commonly called RO.  Water softeners may also remove some arsenic, but other constituents in water may compete with arsenic for the resin sites and reduce the effectiveness.  Softener alone should not be relied on to completely remove arsenic.  Other filters/systems may also be available.

Contaminants in water can change over time, so annual testing of your well water is recommended.