Usually when you see a title like this entry has, you automatically fear the worst. All of us here at Water Testing Blog feel really good this blog entry, though, because for once we find ourselves delivering GOOD news about arsenic in drinking water: Army Corps helps with arsenic removal systems

RIO RANCHO, N.M. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is helping build water treatment systems that will reduce arsenic levels in water used by thousands of Rio Rancho and Bernalillo residents.

The Corps says the systems are designed to be a relatively inexpensive way water utilities can reduce arsenic levels from the old federal standard of 50 parts per billion to 10 parts per billion.

The agency has spent $9 million for each community as part of a cost-sharing agreement. Still, officials say there is $24 million worth of work to do.

Arsenic occurs naturally in volcanic soils, which are common in New Mexico. It leaches from the soil into groundwater, the main source of drinking water for many towns and rural residents in New Mexico and other parts of the West. ( source )

While the residents of those communities may soon have nothing to worry about regarding arsenic in their groundwater and drinking water, what about you? Do you have arsenic in your drinking water? If you cannot answer that question, you may want to either have your water tested by a certified laboratory or use an at-home drinking water test kit for arsenic as a screening method:

Arsenic Quick Home Water Quality Test Kit

The kit above has a detection range of 0.0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.06, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, >0.5, >0.5 ppm (mg/L) and you may also use this kit for determining the arsenic concentration of soil. With a total test time of just 12 minutes, this inexpensive (< $30 USD) home water test kit makes testing well water, groundwater and drinking water for arsenic with EPA/ETV Test Verified Performance accuracy as easy as it will ever get — unless you get someone else to do the testing for you. 

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