Water sounds pure, but can be nasty stuff. An exciting cocktail of chemicals, pesticides, and bacteria drop into every glass poured. One of the familiar – and most toxic – components is heavy metal. This can lead to many health and safety problems.

Because of its involvement in a number of essential human bodily functions, copper is a necessary trace element for good health. Copper is present everywhere in the natural world and is also found in groundwater due to the leaching of geological deposits containing the metal.

Copper can also be produced by industrial processes and enter the water as contamination. Where galvanised pipes are connected to copper tubing, galvanostatic corrosion can occur.

Works managers in every industry must ensure that the standard of water in their facility is maintained in such a way that is compliant with British and EU water standards. That means choosing and installing an adequate system for the purpose of removing copper from water.