Abstract

A survey of 1200 people in the Santiago Metropolitan Area was conducted in order to determine the drinking water habits of the population and estimate their exposure to copper in the drinking water. The presence of copper in drinking water is partly caused by slow dissolution of copper plumbing pipes. The maximum concentration of copper in drinking water occurs after water has stagnated in the copper pipe, a process that usually occurs at night. The study was done during the winter of 1997 on a statistical sample of the population of Santiago. This paper presents the distribution of water consumption by age (<1 year; 1-10 years; 11-19 years; 20-64 years; >64 years), socio-economic groups (A-B-C1, C2-C3, D, E), and sex. The relative errors in the measurements and the consumption times during the day also are included. This information is relevant for the exposure to copper contained in drinking water and the consumption of water from other beverages. Water contained in foods, except soups, is not included in the calculation of drinking-water consumption. A survey of 1200 people in the Santiago Metropolitan Area was conducted in order to determine the drinking water habits of the population and estimate their exposure to copper in the drinking water. The presence of copper in drinking water is partly caused by slow dissolution of copper plumbing pipes. The maximum concentration of copper in drinking water occurs after water has stagnated in the copper pipe, a process that usually occurs at night. The study was done during the winter of 1997 on a statistical sample of the population of Santiago. This paper presents the distribution of water consumption by age (<1 year; 1-10 years; 11-19 years; 20-64; >64 years), socio-economic groups (A-B-C1, C2-C3, D, E), and sex. The relative errors in the measurements and the consumption times during the day also are included. This information is relevant for the exposure to copper contained in drinking water and the consumption of water from other beverages. Water contained in foods, except soups, is not included in the calculation of drinking-water consumption.