Copper in water

jaykopas

New member
May 10, 2025
1
Anthem, AZ
I have copper in my pool water and not 100% sure where its coming from. I took water from the leveler output to the pool and had it tested. Came back as having copper in it. The hose did not. Then I checked the line from the house to the pool and its all pvc. So the only copper could be the connection at the vacuum breaker or the breaker it self. The breaker is made of brass the connections are copper. The breaker does not show wany signs or leaking or wear on the outside. Not sure if replacing breaker will solve the issue. Where else can copper come from? Any suggestions?
 

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Welcome to TFP.

How do test for copper? What is the current copper level? Have you used any algaecides or mineral systems? Pool RX? Do you have a heater? Can you post a full set of test results please:

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

 
I have copper in my pool water and not 100% sure where its coming from. I took water from the leveler output to the pool and had it tested. Came back as having copper in it. The hose did not. Then I checked the line from the house to the pool and its all pvc. So the only copper could be the connection at the vacuum breaker or the breaker it self. The breaker is made of brass the connections are copper. The breaker does not show wany signs or leaking or wear on the outside. Not sure if replacing breaker will solve the issue. Where else can copper come from? Any suggestions?
If a pool store tested it for copper, they have a very wide error tolerance on metals testing and so it’s not very conclusive. Any result below 0.6ppm is probably nothing to worry about if you haven’t been adding anything containing copper.
 
Where else can copper come from?

Welcome to TFP!

How do you chlorinate your pool? Copper is an algaecide, so even though its use has significant drawbacks (green hair, surface staining, etc), it is included in some chlorine tablets / powders / granules.

Edit: Oh, sorry. Just noticed that your tested sample was from the fill water. If you're sure that none of that water had been in the pool, it clearly can't have copper from chlorine additions.
 
Edit: Oh, sorry. Just noticed that your tested sample was from the fill water. If you're sure that none of that water had been in the pool, it clearly can't have copper from chlorine additions.
I missed a few of these details. Thanks Drew.
 
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I have copper in my pool water and not 100% sure where its coming from. I took water from the leveler output to the pool and had it tested.
How, other than testing, do you know you have copper? Why are you worried about it? Without staining, hair turning green, I don't think you have to worry about it. I don't think it is a couple copper fittings.

Who tested it?
How did they test it?
What is the accuracy of their test?
What were the result of the test?

Anthem water quality report indicates that they have had 90% report less than .4 which could be anywhere between 0 and .3, so 10% are above .4.

So you might have copper, likely low level, but without indications of issues staining/green hair etc., why do you want to address it?
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