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Water: Basic Information about Regulated Drinking Water Contaminants

Basic Information about Copper in Drinking Water

Copper at a Glance

Action Level for Treatment Technique = 1.3 milligrams per Liter (mg/L) or 1.3 parts per million (ppm)

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal MCLG = 1.3 mg/L or 1.3 ppm

Health Effects
Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level may, with short term exposure, experience gastrointestinal distress, and with long-term exposure may experience liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson's Disease should consult their personal doctor if the amount of copper in their water exceeds the action level.

Drinking Water Health Advisories provide more information on health effects

Chemical Abstract Service Registry Number
7440-50-8

Sources of Contamination
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits

List of all Regulated Contaminants (PDF) (6pp, 396K, about PDF)

EPA regulates copper in drinking water to protect public health. Copper may cause health problems if present in public or private water supplies in amounts greater than the drinking water standard set by EPA.

What is copper?
Copper is a metal found in natural deposits such as ores containing other elements.

Uses for copper.
Copper is widely used in household plumbing materials.

If you are concerned about copper in a private well, please visit:

What are copper’s health effects?
Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level may, with short term exposure, experience gastrointestinal distress, and with long-term exposure may experience liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson's Disease should consult their personal doctor if the amount of copper in their water exceeds the action level.

This health effects language is not intended to catalog all possible health effects for copper. Rather, it is intended to inform consumers of some of the possible health effects associated with copper in drinking water when the rule was finalized.

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What are EPA’s drinking water regulations for copper?
In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires EPA to determine the level of contaminants in drinking water at which no adverse health effects are likely to occur. These non-enforceable health goals, based solely on possible health risks and exposure over a lifetime with an adequate margin of safety, are called maximum contaminant level goals (MCLG). Contaminants are any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substances or matter in water.

The MCLG for copper is 1.3 mg/L or 1.3 ppm. EPA has set this level of protection based on the best available science to prevent potential health problems.

For most contaminants, EPA sets an enforceable regulation called a maximum contaminant level (MCL) based on the MCLG. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible, considering cost, benefits and the ability of public water systems to detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies. However, because copper contamination of drinking water often results from corrosion of the plumbing materials belonging to water system customers, EPA established a treatment technique rather than an MCL for copper. A treatment technique is an enforceable procedure or level of technological performance which water systems must follow to ensure control of a contaminant. The treatment technique regulation for copper (referred to as the Lead and Copper rule) requires water systems to control the corrosivity of the water. The regulation also requires systems to collect tap samples from sites served by the system that are more likely to have plumbing materials containing lead. If more than 10 percent of tap water samples exceed the copper action level of 1.3 milligrams per Liter (mg/L), water systems must take additonal steps to reduce corrosiveness.

EPA promulgated the Lead and Copper Rule in 1991, and revised the regulation in 2000 and in 2007. States may set a more stringent regulation for copper in drinking water than EPA.

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How does copper get into my drinking water?
The major sources of copper in drinking water are corrosion of household plumbing systems; and erosion of natural deposits. Copper enters the water (“leaches”) through contact with the plumbing. Copper leaches into water through corrosion – a dissolving or wearing away of metal caused by a chemical reaction between water and your plumbing. Copper can leach into water primarily from pipes, but fixtures and faucets (brass), and fittings can also be a source.  The amount of copper in your water also depends on the types and amounts of minerals in the water, how long the water stays in the pipes, the amount of wear in the pipes, the water’s acidity and its temperature.

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How will I know if copper is in my drinking water?
If you are concerned about copper in your drinking water, have the water tested for copper by a certified laboratory. (Lists are available from your state or local drinking water authority.) Since you cannot see, taste, or smell copper dissolved in water, testing is the only sure way of telling whether there are harmful quantities of lead in your drinking water. You should be particularly suspicious if your home has copper pipes. if you see signs of corrosion (frequent leaks, rust-colored water, stained dishes or laundry, or if your non-plastic plumbing is less than five years old. Your water supplier may have useful information, including whether the service connector used in your home or area is made of copper. Testing is especially important in high-rise buildings where flushing might not work.

If your water comes from a household well, check with your health department or local water systems that use ground water for information on contaminants of concern in your area. 

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How will copper be removed from my drinking water?
The following treatment method(s) have proven to be effective for removing copper to below the action level of 1.3 mg/L or 1.3 ppm: corrosion control.

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How do I learn more about my drinking water?
EPA strongly encourages people to learn more about their drinking water, and to support local efforts to protect the supply of safe drinking water and upgrade the community water system. Your water bill or telephone book’s government listings are a good starting point for local information.

Contact your water utility. EPA requires all community water systems to prepare and deliver an annual consumer confidence report (CCR) (sometimes called a water quality report) for their customers by July 1 of each year. If your water provider is not a community water system, or if you have a private water supply, request a copy from a nearby community water system.

Other EPA Web sites

Other Federal Departments and Agencies

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