How Do I Determine Arsenic in Drinking Water in Delaware?

Arsenic is a silver-gray or white element that is found in nature; it combines with other elements to become organic or inorganic compounds, according to Delaware Health and Social Services. Inorganic arsenic is considered to be more toxic than organic arsenic, and it is organic acid that is found in ground water and soil. However, very little organic arsenic has been found in the water supply for Delaware, according to Delaware Health and Social Services. As a precautionary measure, there are means to find out if you have arsenic in your blood stream or in your drinking water.

Things You'll Need

• Test kit
• Tap water
• Water filtration device

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Instructions

Analysis

• 1

  Analyze your drinking water. The Delaware Public Health Laboratory runs regular analysis on public water sources and the lab tests for arsenic among its list of in-organics, according to Delaware Health and Social Services. However, if your home has well water, the analysis will have to be requested by the homeowner.

  Additionally, arsenic home test kits can be bought via the Internet. You'll have results from the home test kit in a few minutes that include the amount of arsenic in the water. If your test kit does come back positive for arsenic, contact the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.

• 2

  Purchase a test kit if you're concerned that your water should be analyzed or if you have well water. If a home has a private well, the Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that people have well water tested at least once a year, according to Delaware Health and Social Services. The test kit can be bought at the Environmental Health Field Services in Delaware.

• 3

  Boil water or buy bottled water if you suspect your drinking water is contaminated. Contaminated water can lead to health risks, especially if there is an infant or pregnant woman in the household. When boiling water to remove contaminants, be sure to to boil for at least three minutes and then allow water to cool, according to APEC Water Systems.

• 4

  Put filters on facets if your analysis results show contaminated water. There are many over-the-counter water filtration systems. The EPA recommends a reverse osmosis point-of-entry unit for arsenic, which can be purchased in a hardware store or online. But you should wait for your water analysis results before buying a water filter. The kind of water filter needed in your home depends on what kind of contaminants are in your drinking water.

• 5

  Go to the doctor if your water analysis results show the presence of arsenic. If arsenic has been in your water supply, and you have built up too much in your body, you could experience skin damage, circulatory problems, a high risk of cancer and eventually death, according to APEC Water Systems. There are urine tests, and tests done on fingernails and hair that can show the level of arsenic in your body. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the fingernail and hair test can measure the levels of arsenic that a person has been exposed to the past six to 12 months, although the urine test is more reliable.