Tackling Copper Contamination with Innovative New Technology

We have now introduced a patented single use copper sensor to our Kemio™ product range, which will allow water utilities personnel to easily carry out testing for copper at consumers’ taps, and enable them to quickly identify any corroded pipe systems which may be putting health at risk.

Copper can enter drinking water through the corrosion of fixtures and pipework in water distribution and plumbing systems, and acidic water can leach copper from piping.

The effects of drinking too much copper include vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, liver damage and kidney disease.

The introduction of this patented single use copper sensor will help municipal authorities in the United States comply with The Lead And Copper rule, which was introduced in 1991 to regulate the control of lead and copper in drinking water. The rule requires authorities to monitor drinking water at customer taps. It states that if lead levels exceed an action level of 15 ppb or copper levels exceed an action level of 1.3 ppm in more than 10 per cent of consumer taps sampled, additional action must be taken to control corrosion.

The new sensors are compatible with our portable Kemio™ Heavy Metals and Kemio™ Multi solutions, and give accurate results even with low concentrations of copper with a range of 100-2000 µg/L. The testing procedures don’t require any specialist training and can be performed on-site within three minutes.

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