Water Filter Book

Health Effects of Chlorine and Chlorine Dioxide in Drinking Water

To protect people from ingesting contaminated water filled with harmful bacteria and other microorganisms, chlorine dioxide is added to drinking water by water supply companies, as chlorine dioxide is said to be very effective in reducing the risk of water waterborne diseases. People who have no access to the public water supply, however, rely on water purification methods such as purification tablets, or home water purification or camping water filter systems.

In more than a century, the addition of chlorine has greatly improved the safety of the drinking water supply in many parts of the world. And to this day, chlorine or chlorine dioxide has been the most commonly used drinking water disinfectant and the perfect solution in ensuring that the water you drink is free of microorganisms that can cause serious and life–threatening diseases such as typhoid fever and cholera. But the question is, will drinking water containing chlorine be really safe to drink?

Numerous concerns still arise with regards to the effects of ingesting chlorine-filled water to our health. An experiment was conducted using chlorine in the drinking water of chickens.  The result was that 95% of the chickens given chlorine-laced distilled water developed atherosclerosis within a few months. It was then concluded by Dr. Joseph Price, M.D., author of the book published in the 60's entitled Coronaries Cholesterol, that the primary and essential cause of atherosclerosis is chlorine.

Chlorine is also linked to the development of cancer. All chemical disinfectants have byproducts that can definitely affect your health. The byproduct of chlorine, trihalomethanes (THM's) or haloforms, contains such carcinogens as chloroforms, bischlorthane, etc. Lab animals that were exposed to high levels of THM's have an increased risk of cancer. Recent studies found a link between cancer and chlorine, showing an increased risk of bladder and possibly colon cancer in people who drank chlorinated water for at least 35 years.

A study in California found that pregnant woman who drank large amounts of water containing high THMs had an increased risk of miscarriage, though this study does not prove the link between miscarriage and high level of THM. However, this only proved the need for further investigation and research regarding this area to confirm the possible risk on pregnant women.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the scientific data shows that the benefits of chlorinating water far outweigh the risks associated with THM's and other byproducts. It is not whether THM's are carcinogenic, but rather, whether the average person is ingesting enough THM's through drinking chlorinated water for THM's to be considered a risk.

Water is very important in the body that it is advisable to drink plenty of it, but is also important to make sure that the water you drink is safe.  There are actually different ways to eliminate THM's. You can reduce the said byproduct by boiling your water, putting the water in a jug after boiling, and letting it sit in the refrigerator overnight or aerating drinking water in a blender. Home water filtration or the use of a camping water filter is also one of the most effective methods, especially with the use of carbon and ceramic filters.

About the Author

Benedict Carl Delgado loves trekking, hiking, backpacking, camping, and anything that brings him outdoors. He maintains an informative site on camping water filter systems. Visit Benedict's site to read more about how obtain clean and safe drinking water when camping or to buy a reliable and portable camping water purifier.


Breakfast with BS: G M Rao
I invite him to join me for breakfast or lunch at my favourite restaurant, the canteen at New Delhi’s Andhra Pradesh Bhawan! A perfect location for a conversation between two Telugus. He sends an sms back, “Please come home, I will give good south Indian breakfast”!

Water Filter Book

Tagged with: • • •