Pet Owners Issued Drinking Water Warning
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Dogs could be the first to show signs of dangerous water contamination in American homes relying on private wells, a veterinary professor has told Newsweek.
"We tested the drinking water from the homes of dog owners who rely on private wells and found that every sample contained detectable minerals or metals—some at levels above health-based guidelines set by the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency]," veterinary informatics professor at Virginia Tech, Audrey Ruple, told Newsweek.
"Since dogs often drink from the same water sources as their human families, they may be the first to show signs of long-term exposure to contaminants like lead or arsenic," she continued. "This makes them important early warning systems—or sentinels—for environmental risks that people are also exposed to."
Ruple recently co-authored a study with other researchers from Virginia Tech and the University of Washington, which found that the majority of sampled well water contained excessive levels of heavy metals, raising health concerns for both pets and their human families.
Why It Matters
Roughly 15 million U.S. households rely on private wells, which fall outside of EPA oversight and are not subject to federal testing regulations. The study highlights that these homeowners may be unaware of health risks lurking in their drinking water, especially for pets that often consume more water per pound of body weight than humans.
What To Know
Marc Edwards, a distinguished professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, said in an interview with Newsweek: "The lead and copper source is almost always the plumbing infrastructure, whereas arsenic and other constituents are often naturally occurring in the ground water. Consumers can often have their water tested through college extension programs, or by contacting local water testing laboratories. There are filters or treatment devices that can remove every type of contaminant."
Published in PLOS Water and conducted across 10 U.S. states, the research found elevated levels of toxic metals in two-thirds of homes tested. According to SciTechDaily, 13 of the homes exceeded EPA health guidance levels for arsenic, lead, or copper. The findings suggest that dogs are exposed to similar environmental hazards as humans, yet their quicker metabolisms and shorter life spans may reveal symptoms earlier.
Environmental conditions influenced contamination levels. Researchers noted that homes near fracking sites showed higher sodium and sulfur levels, while proximity to railroads correlated with increased manganese. According to DVM360, water treated using reverse osmosis showed the lowest health risks to dogs.
The study analyzed water samples from 178 dogs enrolled in the Dog Aging Project, a national health study.
Researchers discovered that 64 percent of private well samples exceeded health guidelines for at least one heavy metal, including arsenic, lead, or copper. All 178 samples contained detectable levels of at least some of 28 different metals tested.
Co-author Leigh-Anne Krometis, associate professor of biological systems engineering at Virginia Tech, stressed to Newsweek that "this study examined private well water samples."
"These are all maintained by individual homeowners and not subject to federal regulations on testing, treatment, etc. So these were not 'city' water samples," he said.
File photo of a dog drinking water, taken in Saxony-Anhalt, Wernigerode, taken in August 2022.
File photo of a dog drinking water, taken in Saxony-Anhalt, Wernigerode, taken in August 2022.
AP
What People Are Saying
Co-author Leigh-Anne Krometis said: "In this small study, 59 percent of the samples returned had more than 20 ppm sodium... Salt sometimes is actually high in well water because of the presence of a treatment system that relies on ion exchange to remove nuisance elements like iron and manganese. So it's not that the groundwater is 'polluted' per se, it's actually a management decision to make water more palatable."
Co-author Audrey Ruple said: "If their household uses a private well, a practical action they can take is to have their water tested through a certified lab that can check for metals like lead, arsenic, and copper. Testing is relatively inexpensive and easy to do. If contaminants are detected, installing a treatment or filtration system can reduce the risk of negative health impacts."
What Happens Next
The researchers plan to expand their work by analyzing the long-term health outcomes in dogs exposed to heavy metals. They believe that identifying links between environmental contamination and chronic conditions could improve both veterinary care and public health guidance.
Until then, they stress annual water testing as a simple but essential step for well owners. Krometis told Newsweek: "Water is a utility we often take for granted, and many (if not most) private well owners do not realize that it is their sole responsibility to manage their system. Testing is the first step to understand whether there are things in the water that might pose a risk to themselves and their family members, furry or otherwise."
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