Chlorinated water does have its benefits and risks. The department of health recommends chlorination as a purification technique to have safe drinking water.
The national disaster management authority recommends consuming boiled or chlorinated water to prevent waterborne illnesses. They also believe chlorination to be an alternative to boiling water in some cases.
Chlorination means adding chlorine to the water to kill parasites and other germs that may cause illnesses like cholera or typhoid.
Amongst these benefits, there are downsides also to consuming water that has been treated with chlorine. Consuming chlorinated water can cause asthma, bladder cancer, or even heart disease. It is very important to monitor the amount of chlorine in water and best to consult an expert before using this technique at home. Unmonitored use is not recommended at all.
Is chlorine in my drinking water dangerous?
The current levels of chlorine added to water by municipalities are non-toxic for humans. Many municipalities add chemicals to kill bacteria in the water and other harmful organisms that may make us sick if we ingest them. Swimming pools also add water as a disinfectant and this has been a method that has been used commercially and domestically since the 1800s.
Even though the correct amounts of chlorine diluted in water are non-toxic, it still has harmful effects. Ingesting chlorine that is commonly mixed with tap water can have adverse effects on health. Chlorine forms trihalomethanes which have been associated with several adverse health issues. Let us discuss a few below.
1. Asthma:
Some studies suggest that prolonged exposure to chlorine in water can lead to respiratory problems. Even swimming in pools that have unsafe levels of chlorine can have adverse effects because the skin tends to absorb the chlorinated water. Bathing in chlorinated water can also aggravate respiratory diseases due to the chlorine being inhaled by you. the form of steam of the water that comes out of the shower.
2. Food allergies:
A recent study shows that people with the highest levels of dichlorophenols in their bodies are likely to have the most food allergies.
3. Congenital abnormalities:
In Taiwan, a study of four lakh people showed that women who are exposed to trihalomethanes in chlorinated water while they are pregnant are likely to give birth to children with defects. These defects may include a cleft palate, ventricular defects, holes in the heart, or even low development of the brain.
4. Bladder and rectal cancer:
Older studies have worked to prove the link between trihalomethanes and cancer. Chlorine has been linked with carcinogenic effects in the past but more studies are needed to prove this 100%. However, it doesn’t hurt to be more careful.
5. A bad taste and smell:
Even if the chlorine levels in your water are considered to be within the safe levels, the taste or the odor may be putting you off while drinking water which may lead to you consuming less than you need in a day.
6. Chlorine makes you gain weight:
On several levels, drinking or bathing in chlorinated water might affect weight gain. Chlorine is a toxic substance that causes your thyroid’s iodine to be removed, resulting in hypothyroidism and unfavorable symptoms like hot flashes and weight gain.
Additionally, your liver is less able to execute other crucial tasks like burning fat properly because it is too busy releasing additional estrogen. The antioxidants like vitamins E and A that frequently protect your healthy fats from damage are also killed by chlorine. Without this protection, you could end up lacking crucial fatty acids like omega 3, 6, and 9, which would lead to more weight gain.
7. Killing good gut bacteria:
It has been discovered that the bacteria in our drinking water are cleverer. Since being sensitized by chlorination, many water-borne parasites, like Giardia and Cryptosporidium, have developed additional layers of chlorine resistance, which has shown to be much less effective.
As a water disinfectant designed to kill bacteria, chlorine absorbs precisely in the GI tract, killing out beneficial gut flora like lactobacillus. Without these helpful bacteria, the immune system suffers, and multiple studies have now linked poor gut health to concerns with children’s mental well-being.
Despite linking poor gut health to conditions including asthma, bowel disease, obesity, and hypersensitivity, a recent study discovered a connection between temperament and the existence of beneficial bacteria.
Seeing as we have spoken about the many demerits of having chlorine in your water, Let us now talk about removing chlorine from your water to ensure your safety. One of the best ways to remove chlorine from your water is by using carbon. Carbon filters can help you purify the water as carbon binds itself to chlorine thus preventing it from entering the flow of water that leaves the carbon filter. Homes that receive chlorinated water are recommended carbon filters so that any water entering the home is secure and chlorine free.
Types of water purifiers
The best way to get the chlorine out of your water is with a water purifier. Many companies out there have purifiers available, but it is important to make the right choice.
Here are the types of water purifiers available:
1. RO+UV+UF Water Purifier:
This type of water purifier is used to achieve clean drinking water from sources contaminated with TDS. TDS are toxic substances found in water due to pesticides and chemicals.
2. UV and UF Water Purifier:
Ultraviolet (UV) is a water purification method using a UV lamp. Ultra-Filtration (UF) is a membrane-based filtration process for water purification. Both methods are meant to block bacteria and viruses.
3. Gravity Water Purifier:
Gravity water purifiers are processes done without the use of electricity. Here gravity works its magic filtering water through activated carbon or a UF+.
About Livpure
Many businesses that embody the spirit of the SAR group were born out of the company’s enthusiasm for the environment, sustainability, and creating a safe world for the next generation. One such company from the SAR group is Livpure, which has made a name for itself in India as one of the most dependable producers of some of the best water purifiers available. It is the result of many years of development and research, and it is designed to provide water purifiers to millions of people. In order to deliver clean drinking water to every Indian consumer, we began by researching cutting-edge water purifiers.
Also Read : Livpure RO Water Purifiers – World’s #1 RO Water Purifier
