The Dangers of Water Chlorination

Most people don’t give much thought to their drinking water other than its taste. Every time you’re drinking tap water, you may also be consuming chlorine.

However, as places like Flint, Michigan in the US showed, contaminants in drinking water and bathing water can have colossal negative effects on people. This is especially true for children, who can have their development severely stunted by these chemicals and metals.

Even if you don’t have lead in your water supply, there may still be sinister chemicals lurking in your water that you can’t see or taste. This is the case for water chlorination.

This isn’t the chlorine that cleans the public pool — this is chlorine in tap water that your family is drinking.

So what exactly is wrong with drinking chlorinated water? What can be done to prevent this?

That’s why our guide exists: to educate you on the dangers of water chlorination and what can be done to combat these chemicals in your water. Let’s jump in.

Why Is Our Water Chlorinated?

This process dates back to the early 1900’s, where chloride of lime was used to purify huge water supplies to prevent disease. Later on, a few scientists found out that chlorine gas could be used instead. Many purification facilities still use chlorine for purifying water that becomes drinking and bathing water.

Why Is Water Chlorination Dangerous?

Chlorine by itself isn’t so bad, but issues arise when chlorine combines with other compounds in the water. Chlorine can bind with other organic substances to create trihalomethanes, also referred to as THMs.

While this doesn’t sound so intimidating, THMs have been studied and shown to have tremendous adverse health effects. Studies have linked THMs to increased risk of miscarriage in pregnant women, artery damage, and certain types of cancer. Allergic reactions to this water are especially dangerous.

Drinking the chlorinated water isn’t the only risk. If people take a hot shower with chlorinated water, the steam can contain THMs too, meaning that you’re inhaling them directly. This has been shown to cause irritation in the skin, eyes, and scalp. There’s also evidence linking THMs in steam to a weakened immune system.

There are also risks involved with washing dishes in chlorinated water and using this water in plants and animals. If you have pets, water chlorination can be potentially deadly.

What Can Be Done

Luckily, there are measures families can take to protect themselves.

First and foremost, bottled water can be used for drinking and cooking. This is expensive, though, and causes a large amount of waste without solving the problem of bathing.

One well-tested approach is to use a reverse osmosis filtration system. This not only filters out harmful chemicals but also improves the taste and feel of water. These can be installed directly at taps and are inexpensive to maintain.

Don’t Suffer

Your family and pets shouldn’t suffer due to chlorinated water.

Get a free trial of our water filtration systems and see the difference it makes in your health and quality of life. Don’t wait until chemicals in your water become an issue.