aluminum parts on a drinking water pump?

[Strawboss]

I use an old hand pump hooked to the well in my backyard to water plants only. I recently needed to repair a cast iron part on the pump, my research found aluminum replacements and comments were made on that web site about not using aluminum parts for drinking water. I know some of the theories concerning aluminum and health, but is there that much of a danger using aluminum on a reciprocating plunger that's in a cast iron pump barrel? The plunger carries a leather seal and the two parts don't really touch. Just wondering, I have no plans on drinking the water except in an absolute emergency, I've tested the water and its ok and I reused the old cast iron part.

[B.D.F.]

Well, just as a suggestion, why not let your idiot brother- in- law drink the water for, oh, say 3 years or so and see if it has any bad effects on him? Of course the greatest concern with high aluminum consumption is Alzehimer's disease, which <generally> has the effect of a general, progressive demintia as well as severe mood swings, often to the 'cranky' side. Hey, your idiot brother- in- law might not be such a good test subject after all....

 

As to the pump, the Al should be no problem. As you mention, it is really the seal that touches the pump body so accelerated wear should not be much of a problem. As far as the water merely coming into contact with the aluminum part, I doubt there is much damage there as we often use Al pots and pans for cooking; the piston just moving up and down (easy boys!) in the water will certainly not throw as much Al in the water as cooking would given the stirring, scraping and so forth with metal utensils.

Brian

I use an old hand pump hooked to the well in my backyard to water plants only. I recently needed to repair a cast iron part on the pump, my research found aluminum replacements and comments were made on that web site about not using aluminum parts for drinking water. I know some of the theories concerning aluminum and health, but is there that much of a danger using aluminum on a reciprocating plunger that's in a cast iron pump barrel? The plunger carries a leather seal and the two parts don't really touch. Just wondering, I have no plans on drinking the water except in an absolute emergency, I've tested the water and its ok and I reused the old cast iron part.

[Strawboss]

This was exactly my thinking, I just thought maybe there was something I missed the last few years or so. This hardware store supplies a good majority of the Amish population of central Ohio, these are folks who are off the grid in everything, I can't see Lehman's selling something knowing it will do great harm to anyone. Thanks. BTW, I don't wish harm on anyone that is not a terrorist. My brother-in-law is simply a common idiot, one we look at with disdain and a bit of sadness, he wishes me no harm as I wish him to just go away. Since that won't happen naturally, I must just be satisfied to call him an idiot.

[B.D.F.]

Yeah but it was funny to me because 1) he is an idiot and 2) Aluminum may cause a form of idiocy so that 3) he would be a poor test subject.

And besides all of that, there is no link that I know of between any serious illnesses / developed conditions from aluminum exposure; the concern is the result of Alzheimer's victims having high concentrations of Al in their brain tissue- and that is certainly not anything even close to evidence that Al causes <anything>.

And seeing as you are providing me with my day's entertainment, now for an Amish joke:

Q: What do you call an Amish man with his arm up a horse's butt?

A: A mechanic.

Brian

This was exactly my thinking, I just thought maybe there was something I missed the last few years or so. This hardware store supplies a good majority of the Amish population of central Ohio, these are folks who are off the grid in everything, I can't see Lehman's selling something knowing it will do great harm to anyone. Thanks. BTW, I don't wish harm on anyone that is not a terrorist. My brother-in-law is simply a common idiot, one we look at with disdain and a bit of sadness, he wishes me no harm as I wish him to just go away. Since that won't happen naturally, I must just be satisfied to call him an idiot.

[VirginiaJim]

 

[Mister Tee]

Given that aluminum sulfate (alum) is commonly used as a coagulant compound in drinking water treatment, I wouldn't be worried too much about uptake from a pump component.

[stevewfl]

Yeah but it was funny to me because 1) he is an idiot and 2) Aluminum may cause a form of idiocy so that 3) he would be a poor test subject.

And besides all of that, there is no link that I know of between any serious illnesses / developed conditions from aluminum exposure; the concern is the result of Alzheimer's victims having high concentrations of Al in their brain tissue- and that is certainly not anything even close to evidence that Al causes <anything>.

And seeing as you are providing me with my day's entertainment, now for an Amish joke:

Q: What do you call an Amish man with his arm up a horse's butt?

A: A mechanic.

Brian