Water Treatment Units For Arsenic Reduction

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Well Management Section

625 North Robert Street


P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975
651-201-4600 or 800-383-9808
[email protected]
www.health.state.mn.us/wells

Water Treatment Units for Arsenic Reduction


Selecting a Treatment Unit
You can purchase and install a treatment unit at a home you own, or you can work with a water
treatment specialist to make sure you get the right type of treatment unit for your needs. Search
for water treatment specialists in your telephone book or at Find Water Treatment Providers
(www.wqa.org/find-providers).
▪ The table on the back of this page outlines information about point-of-use and point-of-entry
devices that reduce arsenic levels in water.
▪ Point-of-use (POU) water treatment units treat water at one faucet (e.g., in your kitchen).
These devices can sit on the counter, attach to the faucet, or be under the sink.
▪ Point-of-entry (POE) water treatment units are installed on the water line as it enters the
home and treat all the water in the home.
▪ Make sure the treatment unit you select is certified by NSF, Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL), or
Water Quality Association for arsenic reduction.

Maintaining a Treatment Unit


All home water treatment units require regular maintenance. Maintenance can include changing filters, cleaning
scale buildup, or disinfecting the unit. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for installing, cleaning, and
maintaining a treatment unit. After installing treatment, retest the treated water to make sure the unit is working.

Paying for a Treatment Unit


The upfront costs for installing a treatment unit may seem high. However, that investment helps keep you and your
family healthy both now and over the long term. Treatment costs are often lower than bottled water costs over
several years. While Minnesota does not have a specific program to cover the costs of home water treatment units,
your household may qualify for one of the following grants or loans. These grants or loans can be used to help pay
for a treatment unit. Contact the program to find out if you qualify and how to apply.
▪ AgBMP Loan Program provides low interest loans to farmers, rural landowners, and agriculture supply
businesses. 1
▪ Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants provide low interest loans for families with income below
50 percent of the area’s median income and grants for people over the age of 62 years. 2
▪ Fix Up Program provides fixed interest rate loans to families who own the property. 3

References
▪ Minnesota Department of Health. Home Water Treatment (www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/factsheet/com/pou.html).
▪ New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. 2012. Environmental Fact Sheet: Arsenic in New Hampshire Well Water
(PDF) (https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/dwgb/documents/dwgb-3-2.pdf).
▪ Ohio Department of Health. 2012. Arsenic Treatment and Removal for Private Water System Wells (PDF)
(https://www.odh.ohio.gov/-/media/ODH/ASSETS/Files/eh/water/factsheet/As_treatment-removal.pdf?la=en).

1 Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District or see Agriculture Best Management Practices (BMP) Loan Program
(https://www.mda.state.mn.us/grants/loans/agbmploan.aspx).
2 Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants (https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-repair-loans-grants).
3 Go to Minnesota Housing (www.mnhousing.gov), click on “Improve Your Home.”
Table of Comparisons: POU and POE Water Treatment Units for Arsenic Reduction
Treatment Option Reduces Description Advantage/Disadvantage POU Cost Estimate 4 POE Cost Estimate
Reverse Osmosis arsenic, chloride, lead, Dissolved solids are removed Advantage: Reduces or removes the Initial: Initial:
with Preoxidation 5 manganese, nitrate, nitrite, from water as the water goes widest array of contaminants. $300-$1,500 $5,000-$12,000
(RO) other dissolved solids 6, through a membrane. The Disadvantage: Can create a lot of Maintenance:
Maintenance:
membrane has pores tiny enough wastewater. $100-$200 every
pesticides, PFCs/PFASs, $250-$500 every
to let water pass through, but 1-2 years
radium, sodium, and sulfate 1-2 years
stop many contaminants.
Distillation arsenic, bacteria, iron, lead, Distillers use heat to boil the Advantage: Removes up to Initial: N/A
manganese, nitrate, nitrite, water, which makes steam. The 99.5 percent of dissolved solids. $300-$1,200
other dissolved solids, some steam rises and leaves Disadvantage: Water may taste ‘flat’ Cost consideration:
contaminants behind. The steam because oxygen and minerals are
pesticides, sulfate, viruses, Energy cost to boil
hits a cooling section where it reduced.
and bacteria water
condenses back to liquid.
Oxidation Arsenic (only if level of iron is A media bed changes dissolved Advantage: Can address multiple N/A Initial:
Filtration above 100 micrograms per contaminants into solid particles. water quality issues. $1,500-$3,000
liter [µg/L]), hydrogen Those solid particles are large Disadvantage: Requires periodic Maintenance:
sulfide, iron, and manganese. enough to be filtered out. regeneration of the media, which can $100 per year
be messy and toxic and must be
handled and stored carefully.
Adsorptive Media Depends on the type of A positively charged media bed Advantage: Produces very little Initial: Initial:
with Preoxidation media; some media only causes negatively charged arsenic wastewater and spent media is not $300-$700 $2,400-$4,500
removes arsenic. Activated ions to be pulled out of the water hazardous.
Maintenance: Maintenance:
alumina removes arsenic, and attach to the media. Disadvantage: You may have to $300-$500 every $700-$900 per
fluoride, selenite, and change the filter cartridge more often 6 months to year year
uranium. if your water has a pH above 8.
Anion Exchange arsenic, nitrate, fluoride, As water passes through resin Advantage: Simple to maintain. N/A Initial:
with Preoxidation sulfate, and uranium beads, the beads replace arsenic Disadvantage: Treated water can be $1,500-$2,500
with chloride ions. It is similar to a acidic and cause corrosion. If not Maintenance:
water softener, but specific to maintained properly, high $700-$900 every
arsenic. concentrations of arsenic can be 8-10 years
dumped back into the water.
Bottled Water Must meet U.S. Safe Drinking Common forms of bottled water Advantage: No large upfront cost. Cost for a family of N/A
Water Act standards (arsenic include 12-ounce bottles, 1-gallon Disadvantage: Expensive over time. four: $600-$3,000
must be below 10 µg/L). jugs, and home water delivery. Bottles create a lot of waste. per year 7

4
Costs are estimates based on quotes obtained in 2017; actual costs may vary. In general, the low-end cost is for a treatment unit the homeowner installs; the high-end cost is for a
treatment unit installed by a water treatment specialist.
5
There are two types of arsenic in Minnesota groundwater: arsenic III and arsenic V. Including preoxidation with your water treatment ensures the treatment reduces both types.
6
Dissolved solids refers to minerals, salts, metals, cations, or anions dissolved in water.
7
Estimate based on each family member consuming 64 ounces of water a day from 12-ounce bottles ($3,000), 1-gallon jugs ($600), or home water delivery ($1,000).
Publications\Arsenic Treatment 10/03/2019R

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