Say Good-Bye To Chlorine In Your Water
For anyone who has had a fish aquarium, when they add water to their tank they know to use products that will de-chlorinate tap water. If chlorine in water is bad for fish, is it also bad for humans? What is the good, the bad and the ugly about chlorinated drinking water?
The Good
Chlorination is the most common method used to remove pathogens from drinking water. The good news is that if you drink chlorinated water you won’t be consuming organisms like viruses, bacteria and parasites. In fact, there are federal laws that demand that public water be treated to destroy pathogens and chlorine is the preferred chemical treatment method. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established an acceptable guideline of 4 parts per million ratio of chlorine levels in drinking water. However, is that benefit worth drinking chlorinated water? Is chlorine, at any level, safe for human consumption and regular exposure through bathing and other personal hygiene practices?
The Bad
Research published by the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality with regard to the side effects of drinking chlorinated water:
- Cancer risk is 93% higher for drinkers of chlorinated water as compared to those who do not drink chlorine treated water.
- Americans are routinely consuming water that tests 300-600 times higher than safe standards established by the EPA
- Hot showers can create chlorine fumes that are concentrated exponentially to dangerous levels and then inhaled, irritating sensitive tissues. This takes chlorine gas directly into the blood stream where contaminants must be filtered by the kidneys.
- Chlorinated water also has a very drying effect upon the skin.
The Ugly
Chlorine is a highly toxic chemical. In addition to it being a bad actor all on its own, it is often partnered with other products to purify drinking water. Mixed together a water purification chemical cocktail can create Trihalomethanes (THMs). These are chlorine by-products that, when consumed, stimulate the production of free radicals in the human body. Free radicals are, of course, radical. They wreak biological havoc destroying good cells and are, in essence, carcinogenic. Chlorine itself is designed to destroy living organisms. Its mission doesn’t recognize an aquatic boundary. When consumed or applied to the skin it simply does what it does best. It continues to destroy the cells and living tissue of the body.
Water Solutions
Water can move across cell membranes because of osmosis. Simply stated osmosis is the movement of water from a less concentrated solution to a more concentrated solution through a partially permeable membrane. Water molecules because of pressure and temperature can be pressed to move through the semi-permeable membrane leaving behind the other unwanted particles (or molecules).
In terms of drinking water the process of reverse osmosis insures that all impurities and other molecules other than H2O are separated providing you with the purest water possible.
Be Good To Your Health & Home
Upgrade your home to a healthy water filtration system that could also potentially save you money on future plumbing repairs. Partner with experienced professionals who are knowledgeable about the best home water filtration system’s available and take the time to educate customers on how it will improve the quality of their life. Please contact us and get a free estimate today.
