Whether copper in the concentrations found in a typical
public drinking water supply may elicit acute adverse
gastrointestinal symptoms is unclear. Moreover,
the spectrum of effects, threshold of appearance (doses
and concentrations), and characteristics of the symptoms
(sequence of appearance, intensity, duration) are
unknown. In addition, the question of whether copper in
concentrations found in drinking water (trace amounts
in natural waters) may elicit acute adverse gastrointestinal
symptoms has been a topic of recent international
concern. Copper concentration may increase in
areas of hard or acidic waters and in households with
extensive copper piping systems