Diarrhoea following contamination of drinking water with copper

Three cases of children with suspected copper intoxication from the drinking water are described. The children presented with protracted diarrhoea, which promptly disappeared, when they were given drinking water of low copper concentration but reappeared when given their domestic water. It is concluded that the use of copper tubing in the water pipes may under certain circumstances result in the presence of copper in the drinking water and the risk of intoxication, especially in small children.