Frequently Asked Questions Is Copper in the water safe for me? Absolutely. We run our pools at 25% of the safe drinking water levels according to the EPA. In fact, if you drank 2 gallons of pool water, you would ingest the amount of copper found in a multiple-vitamin.   Is water with ionized Copper in it safe to drink? Yes! In fact, if you look at the label on your multiple vitamin bottle, you'll see that 2 milligrams is the recommended minimum daily value amount of copper.   Can I drink too much Copper water? No, Not at All ! You would have to drink 2.64 gallons of water per day, (42.3 eight ounce glasses of water), just to get 100% of your minimum daily value amount requirement of copper.   Is Copper good for my plants? Yes. Copper is good and necessary for your plants. Hydroponic farms add much higher doses of Copper to their nutrient solutions than we do.   What does the EPA say about Copper in drinking water? The EPA's Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLG) is desirable, non-enforceable, health-based goals established to assure a safe water supply. Water containing any chemical in an amount equal to or below its MCLG is not expected to cause any health problems, even over a lifetime of ingestion. The current MCLG for copper in drinking water is 1.30 ppm (parts per million). Your CFWS Whole House System is designed to maintain your drinking water at between 0.15 and 0.20 ppm, just 13% of the EPA's MCLG.   Is this a water softener? No. Water softeners use salt (either sodium chloride or potassium chloride) to create sodium or potassium ions which exchange with the calcium ions in the calcium carbonate suspended in the water, thus removing the "hard" part of the water. Our system changes suspended calcium carbonate into calcium bi-carbonate, which can then precipitate or fall out of solution. Small amounts of water spotting may occur, but are easily wiped or rinsed away.   What are the service requirements and/or expendables? Based on your water's hardness and other factors, the plates will need cleaning once or twice a year. The copper plates will need replacement every three to five years depending on usage. The titanium plates do not wear out and should never need replacement.   Is the system easy to install and operate? Yes. The installation can easily be completed in 30-60 minutes. Operation of the system requires weekly testing of the pH and copper in the pool water.   How long do the copper bars last and how much do they cost to replace? Life of the copper bars will depend on the length of your pool season, the calcium hardness of the water and the size of your pool. Normally, they will last 3-5 years and cost about $80 to replace. They can be replaced by the pool owner in a few minutes with a screw driver.   Will the copper stain my pool? The amount of copper being added to your pool is significantly less than would begin to cause staining.   If I purchase the CL Free Digital Water System with Co2 where can I buy the CO²? CO² can be purchased from air supply companies, beverage companies or welding supply companies. Depending on the company, you may have the option of either purchase a tank or rent one. In many markets, these companies will actually come to your house on a regular basis and change your tanks out for you. Some pool owners simply purchase two tanks.