Arsenic in Cornwall’s Drinking Water

Arsenic in Cornwall’s Drinking Water

The combination of Cornwall’s geology and mining history, combined with the fact that there are in excess of 3500 private water supplies in the area, it is no wonder that there is potential arsenic contamination in the drinking water.

According to a 2013 report by the Drinking Water Inspectorate, around 9000 individuals in the area use a private water supply which comes from boreholes, wells or streams. Concentrations of arsenate, which is the form arsenic takes in water, may well be contaminating Cornish water as it is not that easy to smell or taste it.

The Effects of Arsenic in Cornish Water

British Geological Survey (BGS), commissioned by the UK Health Protection Agency (now part of Public Health England), took place between March 2011 and March 2013 in Cornwall. A sampling was taken of 512 properties served by private water supplies.

According BGS:

“Results from the study showed that 5 per cent of drinking water samples collected exceeded the 10 µg/L prescribed concentration or value (PCV) for arsenic.

However, these results alone don’t tell the full story of population exposure to arsenic in the region and to go a step further in assessing exposure, a bio monitoring study is being carried out. The new study is a collaboration between the BGS and the PHE, with the addition of the University of Manchester; through a jointly funded PhD studentship.

This study will explore the use of human biomarkers (urine, toenails and hair) to determine how much arsenic (if any) is being taken up by the local population.

The study will also include environmental monitoring of household dust, garden soil and rice. Study participants will be interviewed, to gather data for an assessment questionnaire, in an attempt to quantify the importance of a range of potential exposure routes.”