Arsenic Fact Sheet - Flowmatic FMRO5-M-MT Installation, Operation And Maintenance Manual

Arsenic Fact Sheet

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 confi dence 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 certifi ed 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) may not
convert all the trivalent arsenic. If you get your water from a public water utility, contact
the utility to fi nd out if free chlorine or combined chlorine is used in the water system.
This 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 specifi c water quality conditions at the consumer's installation.
The RO component of this reverse osmosis system must be maintained according to its
recommended maintenance cycle.
California Proposition 65 Warning
WARNING: this product contains chemicals know to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects or other reproductive harm. (Installer: California law requires that this
warning be given to the consumer).
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