Acidic Well Water And Copper Pipe

Low ph acid water typically found on private well water but is also present in some small municipal water systems.

Acidic well water and copper pipe.

Pipes used to distribute drinking water are made of plastic concrete or metal e g steel galvanized steel ductile iron copper or aluminum. Signs of acid water are corrosion of fixtures pinhole leaks blue staining from copper pipes or rust staining from iron pipes. Common causes for acidic water are acid rainfall due to atmospheric carbon dioxide and other airborne pollutants runoff from mining spoils and decomposition of plant materials. Plastic and concrete pipes tend to be resistant to corrosion.

Aggressive corrosive low ph water acidic water can cause high levels of copper in the drinking water supply. Acidic water with a ph of 7 or less can be hard on copper pipe. Copper pipes are safe unless the water in it is overly acidic or alkaline. These contraptions utilize calcite calcium carbonate to increase water s ph acidic water is fed into a calcite filled tank and run through the mineral which dissolves and raises the ph.

Acidic water copper pipe corrosion leak risk leak prevention. Most municipal water has a balanced ph between 6 5 and 8 which is a safe range for copper pipes. Better yet use plastic cpvc pipe and fittings. Pure water has a ph of 7 0 neutral.

How can i find out whether there is copper in my drinking water. Corrosivity or acidity of water. Acidic water is typically best treated by an acid neutralizer. Common causes for acidic well water are from acid rainfall due to atmospheric carbon dioxide and other airborne pollutants and in some cases runoff from mines.

Causes of corrosion in water system pipes. However natural unpolluted rainwater has a ph of about 5 6 acidic. The main causes of pipe corrosion are. Corrosive water is responsible for health effects of increased lead copper or other contaminants in drinking water and corrosive water in building plumbing heating systems is also responsible for costly leak damage.

Copper contamination in drinking water corrosive water copper pipe health hazards. Metal pipe corrosion is a continuous and variable process of ion release from the pipe into. Acidic or alkaline water may cause corrosion or leech copper from the pipes into the drinking water. Corrosion of pipes is by far the greatest cause for concern.

Note that most city water even in areas of the country where the water is acidic is balanced to. Blue corrosion on copper pipes and in plumbing systems is due to physical and chemical reactions between the pipe material and water. If you have a well and find out from testing that the water is acidic you may want to use the thicker wall type l pipe. Copper can get into drinking water either by directly contaminating well water or through corrosion of copper pipes if your water is acidic.