Chlorine in Drinking Water
Product Description
Chlorine is a commonly used household cleaner and it is used as disinfectant in municipal water supplies. It is also used as an oxidizing agent in water treatment and chemical processes. Municipalities are required by EPA to comply with the Total Coliform Rule which means water delivered to water customers (you and me) is expected to be at least 95% absent of Coliform bacteria. For many municipalities, adding chlorine to kill bacteria is the easiest way to comply with the Total Coliform Rule. Of course, when surface water treatment plants are used, the use of chlorine is a must not a choice. Surface water has organisms that must be killed if not removed by filtration. The story is different in groundwater supplies; the use of chlorine is not justified in many cases. Do you know if the water in your house comes from a groundwater source or a river?
High levels of chlorine irritate the eyes, skin, etc. How about our digestive system? When we drink chlorinated water, what will happen to the useful bacteria in our intestines? Will that chlorine react with the organic matter in the intestines? It is know that chlorine react with organic matter to form trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. Are these compounds good or bad? Google these terms to read from a different source about the health effects.
If the City adds chlorine in water to avoid violations, why should I ingest that water as is? You and I have two choices: either I buy bottled water which is free of chlorine or I buy a point of use water filter that contains carbon to absorb/remove chlorine from water. Most RO systems have carbon prefilters and they remove chlorine.
High levels of chlorine irritate the eyes, skin, etc. How about our digestive system? When we drink chlorinated water, what will happen to the useful bacteria in our intestines? Will that chlorine react with the organic matter in the intestines? It is know that chlorine react with organic matter to form trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. Are these compounds good or bad? Google these terms to read from a different source about the health effects.
If the City adds chlorine in water to avoid violations, why should I ingest that water as is? You and I have two choices: either I buy bottled water which is free of chlorine or I buy a point of use water filter that contains carbon to absorb/remove chlorine from water. Most RO systems have carbon prefilters and they remove chlorine.
