Residents of Ripoll advised not to drink tap water due to high levels of arsenic
Tap water still safe to use for showers, washing clothes and dishes, but not for cooking
On Monday, the Town Hall of Ripoll issued an advisory to the town’s residents not to consume tap water from the local SOMASRSA water network, either for drinking or cooking.
The reason for the advisory is the elevated level of arsenic in the drinking water, which exceeds 10 ug/l in the northern Catalan town.
Arsenic is a chemical element that occurs naturally in water, but due to the ongoing drought, the levels have increased.
Residents can still use tap water to shower, and wash clothes or dishes without risk to their health.
Since this is not the first time Ripoll’s residents have received such an warning in recent years, the town halls of Ripoll and Campdevànol, as well as SOMASRA, have now approved a project to renovate and expand the water purification station in order to put an end to the water problems.