Drinking water from your catchment after Kilauea’s eruption…
Is it really safe to drink? Yes, If you take the correct measures to insure your water is filtered correctly.
How to use your water catchment systems water for drinking
Drinking water from your catchment after Kilauea’s eruption…
Is it really safe to drink? Yes, If you take the correct measures to insure your water is filtered correctly.
How to use your water catchment systems water for drinking after the volcano erupts.
This Information Courtesy of
MORE About Hawai`i’s Acid Rain for Catchment Tanks
Because many questions have come up lately about the pH (a measure of acidity or alkalinity) in our catchment systems, we want to give you more detail on how acid rain can affect you through catchment water.
Different locations may require different treatment
The pH scale measures how acidic or basic something is. This logarithmic scale goes from 0-14. Numbers below 7 are considered acidic and above 7 are basic. Seven is neutral. Rain usually has a pH in the mid to high 5’s. Less than 5.6 is considered “acid rain.” On the mainland, acid rain is usually associated with pollution from burning fossil fuels that release excessive nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. In Hawai`i, the biggest cause of acid rain is from our volcanoes, which release sulfur dioxides and trioxides into the air. These oxides, in a series of reactions in the atmosphere, combine with water molecules and form dilute acids which return to earth as acid rain. Usually Hawai`i’s acid rain contains sulfuric acid where other types of air pollution can create nitric acid.
Why does acid rain matter?
Normally rocks, soil and vegetation act as buffers and neutralize the acid. If the pH is really low, it can damage delicate vegetation and cause ecological damage. In rainwater catchment systems, acid rain can be a problem because it can leach metals and other surface and tank coatings and deposit them into the water. This is a particular problem in older homes—typically built before 1979—where roofs might have lead paint, nails, flashings and solder.
Is acid rain a health hazard?
Drinking acidic rainwater isn’t normally a problem. In fact, we drink a lot of acidic drinks and food. However, excessive acid could affect your teeth. Just like drinking soda pop or sucking on lemons, if you constantly expose your teeth to acid conditions, their protective enamel coating will be compromised.
Our biggest concern about drinking acidic rainwater is when heavy metals and other leached materials get into the water. A very common problem is when copper from water pipes make blue/green stains on our sinks and tubs. Sometimes severe leaching will cause pipes to leak.
Having some copper in our water is not necessarily a health hazard because our bodies need some copper. Many people’s diets in the US are deficient in copper and vitamin C inhibits the body’s intake of copper. However, if you suspect your copper levels are high, especially if you can taste the copper in your water, it may be too high and you should get your water tested.
Where to get your water tested for copper and lead
The cost of copper and lead water testing is partially subsidized by the Department of Health’s Safe Drinking Water Branch. On the island of Hawaii, call 933-0401 to make arrangements. You can also do inexpensive testing for lead and copper through the UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, however these laboratories are not certified for drinking 