Copper Pipes — A Potential Risk To Your Water Supply
Short answer: copper pipes themselves are safe, but corrosion can leach copper into your water at levels that matter — especially for infants and anyone with Wilson’s Disease. Copper is actually necessary in small amounts in your diet, but at elevated concentrations it can be poisonous. Whether that’s a real risk in your home comes down to your water’s pH and how old your plumbing is.
Copper is one metal that acidic water can dissolve out of your pipes and into your Denver water system. While copper pipes are standard in household plumbing and copper is necessary in your diet, too much of it can be harmful.
Is Copper in Water Bad? Who’s Actually at Risk
The body has a natural way of regulating copper. However, children under one year old don’t have this mechanism fully developed yet, and those with Wilson’s Disease have difficulty maintaining proper copper levels at any age.
People with Wilson’s Disease can’t regulate copper properly, and it can build up in their liver, brain, and other organs. The condition is treatable if diagnosed early. If you have an infant in the house, or someone with Wilson’s Disease, it’s worth knowing what your indoor plumbing is made of and what’s actually coming out of your tap.
Schedule a free in-home water test at Culligan Denver today to see if your water has elevated copper levels.
Copper concentrations in drinking water vary widely as a result of differences in water characteristics — pH, hardness, and copper availability in the distribution system all play a role.
Why Are Copper Pipes Bad? What New Homeowners Should Know
High concentrations of copper in water come primarily from corrosion of interior copper plumbing. A protective coating tends to build up inside copper pipes over time, forming a barrier between the water and the copper — but new homes with new pipes may be more susceptible, since that coating hasn’t had time to build up yet.
The best indicator of whether you may have corrosion in your copper pipes is whether your water’s pH is acidic (below 7). There are a number of solutions for acidic water, including a Culligan whole-house water filter or a reverse osmosis drinking water system for water at the tap.
If you’re concerned enough to replace your copper pipes altogether, the most common alternative is PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) — it offers cost and flexibility advantages along with resistance to scale and chlorine. Other options vary, so check your local building code and do your research before deciding what’s best for your home.
EPA Guidelines for Copper in Water
The EPA has set an “actionable” level of 1,300 parts per billion for copper in water systems, but that threshold may be too high for households with infants or someone managing Wilson’s Disease. See our full guide to copper pipe problems for more detail, or get your water tested today by your local Culligan Man.
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