Fleck Blue-Green Copper Stains Filter

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Water from Franklin County’s Aquifer 111ALVM and Your Household

In Franklin County, Iowa, many households draw water from aquifer 111ALVM. This underground source supplies wells typically between 12 and 20 feet deep, with water brought directly to taps. Understanding water quality in this aquifer provides context but does not specify conditions in any single household’s well or faucet.

Interpreting Copper Measurements Against Federal Benchmarks

The U.S. Geological Survey sampled groundwater in Franklin County’s aquifer 111ALVM, measuring copper at three points in two separate wells between 2011 and 2017. The results showed copper concentrations ranging from 0.57 to 1.0 micrograms per liter (ug/L), with a median of 0.68 ug/L. None of these values reach or exceed any federal health-based thresholds. It’s important to note that detection of copper alone does not indicate unsafe water.

What a Certified Laboratory Test for Copper Reports and How to Understand It

If you want to know the copper level in your household water specifically, a certified laboratory test is necessary. Such a report will typically show the copper concentration in micrograms per liter or milligrams per liter, alongside detection limits and possibly recommended guidelines. Interpreting your test requires comparing your specific values to federal or state standards and considering whether copper presence correlates with any water quality issues.

Understanding Terms: Detected, Median, and Range in Local Sampling

The term “detected” means the instrument found copper above the reporting limit but says nothing about safety or violation. The “median” is the middle value of all samples, offering a central tendency but not individual variability. The “range” shows the lowest and highest measured copper in the sampled wells over the years, reflecting natural variation in the aquifer rather than one household’s water.

How This Data Reflects Seasonal and Multi-Year Variation

The sampling occurred over six years, from mid-2011 to late 2017, indicating copper levels in this aquifer remain fairly stable over time within the range measured. Seasonal changes or shifts in water chemistry might occur but were not detailed in these samples.

Recognizing Household Signs and Ruling Out Other Issues

Copper stains in the home often appear as blue-green discoloration on sinks, fixtures, or laundry. These marks can indicate elevated copper in water but also can result from surface corrosion or water with low pH. Other causes of staining should be ruled out through testing and observation before attributing stains to copper water content.

Matching Treatment Capacity to Your Household’s Daily Water Use

Choosing appropriate treatment depends on the volume and flow of water your household uses daily. Proper equipment should handle peak demand without reducing water pressure or effectiveness. The Fleck Blue-Green Copper Stains Filter ships ready to configure and is designed to reduce copper-related staining efficiently when matched to household water consumption.

This information summarizes copper sampling for Franklin County, aquifer 111ALVM, based on multiple well samples over several years. For detailed data and updates, consult the U.S. Geological Survey groundwater monitoring site for this aquifer.

Where this information comes from

Source: USGS groundwater sampling. Sampled 2017-08-30. These figures describe groundwater sampled in this area. They are not a test of any individual private well - only a test of that well can establish its own water.

On record: U.S. Geological Survey sampling of Copper in the 111ALVM aquifer (Franklin County): 3 results from 2 wells, median 0.68 ug/L, range 0.57-1.0 ug/L; none above any federal threshold