What You Should Know About Hexavalent Chromium | Reynolds Water

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What You Should Know About Hexavalent Chromium

Due to the rising attention given to water contaminants such as hexavalent chromium (or “green goo”, as called by residents) in areas across the country, it is important to understand how you can protect your family from such dangers should they arrive near your home. To stay abreast of the latest developments regarding the 696 seepage, visit the EPA (Environmental Protections Agency) who is currently testing 11,000 gallons of water from the contamination chemical site to better evaluate possible hazards to your water.

What is Hexavalent Chromium?

Hexavalent chromium, according to OSHA, is one of the valence states (+6) of the element chromium, usually produced by an industrial process. Cr(VI) is known to cause cancer (in the lungs and nasal cavity, primarily) and targets the respiratory system, kidneys, liver, skin, and eyes. The National Cancer Institute describes the metallic element as odorless, tasteless, and found in air, water, soil, and food. The CDC claims it being used in many industries, such as electroplating, welding, and chromate painting. Because of this heightened risk in more industrial settings, companies in those industries take safety very seriously to avoid any harmful exposure to the employees; from limiting chromium exposure to a safe number of micrograms per cubic meter of air, and providing excessive monitoring of contaminate levels beyond an actionable level with the first monitor. That said, chromium does not solely exist within the industrial space, and can become an issue for residents surrounding big plants due to negligence or incompetent safety practices. For those of us outside of that space, the contamination of our water by harmful compounds is always a possibility, and it benefits everybody to be aware of the proper ways to combat it.

How to Prevent Contaminates from Getting into My Drinking Water?

Because of the compound nature of contaminants like Hexavalent Chromium, having the right water treatment and filtration equipment in your home can prevent you and your family from succumbing to its effects. One proven combatant to contaminants like Cr(VI) is reverse osmosis, which sends water through a thin membrane that naturally filters particles too small to be filtered through pre-filter systems located within the overall reverse osmosis filtration system. This process can eliminate many contaminates from your water, such as Cadmium, Chlorine, Copper, Lead, Barium, Arsenic, Fluoride, Giardia Cysts, and many more. By installing a system like this in your home you’re able to keep these harmful contaminants out of your home’s water and keep your family safe.

Reynolds Water Conditioning has all the equipment you need to combat lead in your home’s water. Give us a call today to see how we can help you and your family live a safer life at home.


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