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Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring contaminant found in many ground waters. Arsenic
in water has no color, taste or odor. It must be measured by an arsenic test kit or lab test.
Public water utilities must have their water tested for arsenic. You can obtain the results
from your water utility contained with in your consumer condence report. If you have
your own well, you will need to have the water evaluated. The local health department
or the state environmental health agency can provide a list of test kits or certied labs.
There are two forms of arsenic: pentavalent arsenic (also called As (V), As (+5)) and
trivalent arsenic (also called As (III), As (+3)). In well water, arsenic may be pentavalent,
trivalent, or a combination of both. Although both forms of arsenic are potentially hazardous
to your health, trivalent arsenic is considered more harmful than pentavalent arsenic.
RO systems are very effective at removing pentavalent arsenic. A free chlorine residual
will rapidly convert trivalent arsenic to pentavalent arsenic. Other water treatment
chemicals such as ozone and potassium permanganate will also change trivalent arsenic
to pentavalent arsenic. A combined chlorine residual (also called chloramine) where it
does convert trivalent arsenic to pentavalent arsenic, may not convert all the trivalent
arsenic in to pentavalent arsenic. If you get your water from a public water utility, contact
the utility to nd out if free chlorine or combined chlorine is used in the water system.
This Watts Premier reverse osmosis system is designed to remove up to 98% of
pentavalent arsenic. It will not convert trivalent arsenic to pentavalent arsenic. Under
laboratory standard testing conditions, this system reduced 0.30 mg/L (ppm) pentavalent
arsenic to under 0.010 mg/L (ppm) (the USEPA standard for drinking water). Actual
performance of the system may vary depending on specic water quality conditions at
the consumer’s installation. In addition to the independent laboratory standard testing
conditions Watts Premier has conducted additional eld testing on our reverse osmosis
units to determine trivalent arsenic reduction capabilities. Based upon Watts Premier eld
testing, it has been determined that the RO units are capable of reducing up to 67% of
trivalent arsenic from the drinking water.
The RO membrane component of this Watts Premier reverse osmosis system must
be maintained according to its recommended maintenance cycle. Specic component
identication and ordering information can be found in the installation/operation manual
maintenance section, by phone at 1-800-752-5582 or online www.premierH2o.com
Arsenic Fact Sheet
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