What is arsenic?
- tasteless
- odorless
- colorless
- metal found in rocks and soil
- comes from volcanos, mining, smelting, coal-fired power plants, and geothermal activity.
What are the health effects in having high levels of arsenic in well water?
- thickening and discoloration of the skin
- stomach pain
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- heart, lung, liver, immune, nervous, or reproduction system disorders and diabetes
- in extreme cases it causes cancer of the bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, liver, and prostate
- developmental problems in pregnant women.
When should I test my well water for arsenic?
- Well water should be tested in the spring
- the EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requires municipally-supplied drinking water to be tested of arsenic, which means that you are in charge of your own private well water testing
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Source: Idaho department of water resources
https://idwr.idaho.gov/water-data/groundwater-quality/facts.html
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