Dangerous purple primer in CPVC?

[eichelman]

I checked on the net, everyone says to use it, but I hate the thought of drinking water that goes through those pipes, as I do spill some into the pipes when I put them together.

I suppose there is nothing you do about it. Just checking.

Fred

[Fischer]

Both the primer and the glue for PVC and CPVC are highly toxic when wet. They would have us believe it's perfectly safe once dry. I would venture to say that the primer is less of a problem than the glue. Supposedly there is little to no out gassing once they've set up. Course asbestos was the greatest thing since "Acme Cure All Tonic, now with Cocaine".

Stay away from the vapors as much as possible and don't drink it under any circumstances.

[Bumblerazz]

I agree with Fischer. I think the general thinking is that drinking water, especially from a municipality, is pH neutral and thus not likely to cause corrosion, or in this case dissolve the primer/glue. Of course if this were true, municipalities would never have to dig up roads to replace the infrastructure. Bottom line is to know the qualities of your water and decide how safe it is to drink. Most municipalities give tours of their installations to the public and some even post the water quality on the net.

The pvc / cpvc primer and glue once hardened are very strong and hard and are not soluble in water. It takes an organic solvent like ethanol or acetone to dissolve it. Not compounds found in drinking water.

I should also note that most federal, provincial/state and municipal guidelines suggest that you run your water for a full five minutes before using it for cooking or drinking, to clear out any bugs or heavy metals that may have accumulated. i.e.: if you're the first person up in the morning, run the tap for a few minutes before making the coffee.

[eichelman]

I didnt know about running the water for 5 minutes! I usually do it just 5 seconds. Perhaps I will put a picture of water in the refrigerator afterall and drink that (tapped) water instead of fresh tap water. But you have to use a good plastic container or better yet a glass one.

So I guess we will all be in the same boat if purple primer is the new asbestos of the future.

Thanks,
Fred

[scuba_dave]

I never run the water...that explains my twitch :afraid:
I drink filtered water from the fridge, plus we have a whole house filter
Not sure how much of a difference those make
All copper lines

[Bumblerazz]

LOL, scuba_dave!!

Drinking filtered water is better, as long as the container you store it in doesn't sit on the shelf for too long. Depending on the filter type, it can also remove harmful heavy metals, chlorine and organic contaminants (both bugs and/or solvents and medications).

Potable water does have an expiry date, as in a bottle/pot/container can sit for only so long before it has to be retreated. If the container has a sealed top and isn't heated beyond a certain temperature (I'm not sure of that temp, I think it's 40*C?) it has a much longer shelf life. If you're like my mother and have a large sealed bottle of water in case of a "disaster", make sure you replace it every year, minimum.

As Fred says, though plastic is more sturdy, lighter and easier to find, glass is the best solution since it won't leach contaminants as plastic does. If you need sturdy then the latest fad of stainless isn't a bad solution and it has a side benefit of having the water stored in the dark. This can significantly slow the growth of certain bacteria (as we all know, moulds can still grow).

Having a whole house filter I would say is good too, and almost a definite requirement on single home wells. It removes larger particles and it helps extend the life of appliances, though doesn't really change water quality (as in acidity, dissolved heavy metals, sulphur, etc...).

I don't know about you're area, but I know here that the first person in the morning to turn on the tap gets a very strong whiff of chlorine. Ever since Walkerton, our municipality has been chlorinating the water like crazy so I have a tendency to run the water anyways. I think the general thinking behind the 5min is to flush the lines. Stagnant water will grow stuff (thus the overzealous chlorinating) and, depending on water pH (acidity), will leach metal. Water is naturally slightly acidic and thus one of the reasons flux and solder is now lead free.

Copper leaches as well but it requires significantly higher concentration before it becomes toxic. Also Cu doesn't tend to accumulate in the body so having a slug of water in your morning shower won't make a difference.

I personaly got tired of having a jug of water take up space in my fridge (that and finding it almost empty every time I went for a drink!!:argh:) so I installed a separate tap with an under-the-counter filter. I spend a little extra and get a step up from the typical charcoal filter. It still removes the heavy metals and chlorine but also, because of the small pore size (~1micron) it removes larger organic compounds as well (bugs, bacteria, solvents and medicines). It doesn't replace a ceramic/charcoal/UV light system, but I only have so much money and, honestly, having worked in the municipal lab for a number of years, I know the water quality is pretty good to begin with.

I guess a ranted on there a bit, especially since no one asked a question, but I hope it informed a bit.

[scuba_dave]

Actually the fridge has a built in filter, so that is what I use - water from the door

I tell ya, after seeing the junk in the whole house filter I will always have one & change the filter