Copper in Arizona well water
In Arizona, 5% of 6,478 tested private well samples exceeded the EPA limit for copper (1.3 mg/L).
Copper leaches from pipes when water is acidic. Above 1.3 mg/L it causes stomach upset, and long-term exposure can harm the liver and kidneys. Blue-green stains on fixtures are the giveaway.
Check your copper number
Type the value from your lab report. It is compared to the EPA limit, the same way the full interpretation does it.
Test your Arizona well for copper
Certified lab analysis of your own tap water, bottles and prepaid return shipping included. The Essential well panel covers arsenic, uranium, nitrate, lead, copper, manganese, iron, sodium and bacteria; radon and PFAS are add-ons.
Order the Tap Score well water test kit, from $209Already tested? Upload the report
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Systems that remove copper
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Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the merchant pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we list or what the data says.
For copper
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For copper
Acid neutralizing filter
whole-house, at the point of entry, about $1,200
Raises pH so plumbing stops leaching lead and copper.
Rather have it installed and sized for your well? Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company.
Where to get a well tested for copper in Arizona: certified labs, state programs and prices.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (1.3 mg/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Above EPA limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gila | 904 | 53% | 0.003 | 160 mg/L | |
| Coconino | 231 | 55% | 0 | 224 mg/L | |
| Yavapai | 628 | 42% | 0 | 1.5 mg/L | |
| Pima | 822 | 34% | 0 | 46 mg/L | |
| Maricopa | 1,053 | 37% | 0 | 29 mg/L | |
| Apache | 105 | 62% | 0.001 | 0.076 mg/L | |
| Graham | 310 | 43% | 0 | 0.18 mg/L | |
| Cochise | 520 | 36% | 0 | 0.058 mg/L | |
| La Paz | 349 | 36% | 0 | 0.05 mg/L | |
| Navajo | 91 | 34% | 0 | 0.2 mg/L | |
| Yuma | 257 | 33% | 0 | 0.041 mg/L | |
| Pinal | 407 | 29% | 0 | 0.08 mg/L | |
| Mohave | 639 | 23% | 0 | 0.415 mg/L | |
| Santa Cruz | 85 | 21% | 0 | 0.022 mg/L | |
| Greenlee | 77 | 16% | 0 | 0.04 mg/L |
- Globe-Miami CCD, Gila County39% of 773
- Arivaca CCD, Pima County1% of 84
- Prescott CCD, Yavapai County<1% of 195
- Phoenix CCD, Maricopa County<1% of 281
- Puerco CCD, Apache County0% of 34
- Ajo CCD, Pima County0% of 31
- Tohono O'odham Nation CCD, Pima County0% of 227
- Payson CCD, Gila County0% of 40
- Sierra Vista CCD, Cochise County0% of 58
- Tuba City CCD, Coconino County0% of 32
- Bonita-Klondyke CCD, Graham County0% of 64
- Mingus Mountain CCD, Yavapai County0% of 81
- Flagstaff CCD, Coconino County0% of 137
- Ash Fork CCD, Yavapai County0% of 34
- Buckeye CCD, Maricopa County0% of 239
- Willcox CCD, Cochise County0% of 74
- Deer Valley CCD, Maricopa County0% of 35
- Wellton CCD, Yuma County0% of 138
- Safford CCD, Graham County0% of 202
- North Pinal CCD, Pinal County0% of 55
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. copper counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.