Arsenic is an odorless, tasteless semi-metal element that can enter drinking water naturally through the erosion of natural deposits in the Earth. There are also cases where arsenic can enter water through agricultural runoff.

The contaminant can occur in two forms: Trivalent arsenic (AsIII, or arsenite) or pentavalent arsenic (AsV, or arsenate).

Arsenic can be a harmful chemical when you come into contact with it over several years, but the good news is there are several ways to treat for arsenic. The maximum contaminant level set by the Environmental Protection Agency for arsenic is 10 parts per billion.

Ways to treat for arsenic to keep it below these levels is by using ion exchange, reverse osmosis and distillation. 

During ion exchange unwanted materials are moved out of the water and replaced with more desirable ones.

Reverse osmosis is the process in which a membrane determines what to allow through and what not to allow through, similar to the ion exchange process. The osmatic pressure will counter the diffusion process to create an equilibrium. This allows water with a higher concentration of contaminants to be moved to water with a lower concentration of contaminants. High water pressure will reverse the osmotic process leaving the harmful contaminants, including arsenic, behind.

During distillation, water that has not yet been treated is formed into water vapor and then is condensed back into a liquid form. During this process most of the contaminants in the untreated water will be taken out during the boiling process.

Testing for arsenic is crucial to making sure your water is clean and safe to drink. These tests can be simple and quick to give you results of what types of contaminants are prevalent in your water.

If arsenic is found in your water it is best to contact a local water expert to come and assess the problem before trying to reduce the chemical.

If you have come into contact with arsenic for a long period of time the potential risks include: Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, partial paralysis, numbness in hands and feet, blindness, thickening and discoloration of the skin.

Therefore treating for arsenic becomes essential to the safety of you and your customer’s household. Knowing how much arsenic is in your water and how to get rid of the contaminant is crucial to providing safe, clean drinking water.