Arsenic in water!!

[Hillsvale]

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Your not too far from us Lynn... we just moved from Lower Sackville to Hillsvale (10 minutes outside Mt. Uniacke)

OP... our area is known for arsenic )arsenic is fairly common in rural communities), it was even posted in our recent purchase documents. We used bottled water and have a reverse osmosis system on our kitchen tap. Our other neighbours have lived in the area for decades... they don't drink the water but do use it for cooking etc as do I... I figured if they use it for cooking, something negative would have shown up with them after all these years and they are fine.

Sometimes people post in these forums and come across negatively, especially if they are responding quickly, also some are naturally sarcastic and it doesn't come across well in the written form. Don't take offence... it may have been a harmless response.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I know this won't help you but I can't resist. Many years ago in a different location, a water softener system salesman said that our tap water had all kinds of things in it, even arsenic. I questioned him with, if we don't get arsenic from the tap water, how do we keep our bones from getting brittle? As far as I know, there is absolutely no truth in arsenic keeping your bones from getting brittle. I know of absolutely no benefit to the human body of consuming any amount of arsenic. ButI did not like his sales pitch. The look on his face was worth the question.

Your county extension agent should be able to help you with your original question, the risk to your chickens and the risk from the eggs from your levels of arsenic. And I agree that a retest may be in order before you spend big bucks. Your extension office may have arelatively inexpensive option for that also.

 

[LynneP]

Hi Hillsvale! You're probably 15 minutes from us, we're in Centre Rawdon.
Reverse Osmosis is the most reliable water purification there is...

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

my first thought when I read your post, which was apparently shared by others; is who tested the water? did you have it done on your own, or was it someone trying to sell you something?

 

[irf1983]

The county tested it. we are a historically high arsenic area, so the county tests for free.

 

[bonnylass79]

Hey neighbor. I live over by the Croom. To my knowledge, our arsenic levels are low. Our water was just tested a couple years ago and they didn't flag anything. I would call or email Stacy Strickland at the extension office. He is a wealth of knowledge and has helped me several times. The funny thing about arsenic is that it's naturally occuring. Same thing with most of those toxins. It's all a matter of how high of a concentration is harmful.

As for the filtration systems, there are a couple different types out there. Some add chemicals and some use aeration. Just do your research to decide which will be best for you. Luckily our water doesn't need anything. They can get expensive. The house in Tampa was another story. I wouldn't even give the dog tap water.

 

[irf1983]

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Hey, thats great to know, thanks very much. We're right near that dairy farm on Powell, I think that may be why our levels are so high. We're going to have it re-tested however. Thanks again!

 

[alicefelldown]

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Perhaps instead of getting on your high horse about Kooshie's reply - you should have put that information in your first post. If you want a decent answer you have to ask a decent question. It is a bad idea to assume that people will know how to answer parts of your question that were withheld.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

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Thank you, I especially appreciate the lack of condescension you showed in answering a legitimate question. Our high concentration of arsenic is just under 30 parts arsenic for every 1,000,000,000 parts water. So being that the ratio of arsenic is just the slightest sliver of a fraction of our water supply, and that many natural wells in rural areas contain higher levels of arsenic, I apparently stupidly assumed that other people may have experience with this situation. Kudos to you though for patronizing a stranger, it's people like you that make this site so valuable. If anyone has something productive to add I would appreciate some input. We live in a relatively large poultry farming area, I can't imagine all of their chickens are getting Zephyrhills.

well put

 

[irf1983]

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Perhaps instead of getting on your high horse about Kooshie's reply - you should have put that information in your first post. If you want a decent answer you have to ask a decent question. It is a bad idea to assume that people will know how to answer parts of your question that were withheld.

Doesn't excuse being rude. Thanks though.