Chlorine In Drinking Water – Public Misinformation

I came across this interesting article on the dangers of chlorine in municipal water systems. This article is a good example of the misinformation that exists concerning public drinking water. See how far you have to read before you spot the first inaccuracy.
Most people have are very one-sided view of the chlorine in water and to be honest, it is perhaps not their fault. They realize that chlorine is a very major part of municipal water purification and water safety, yet they don't realize that this contaminant is a double-edged sword. This is something you need to be aware of and take the steps necessary to protect yourself and your family. What Is Wrong? The chlorine levels in drinking water is considered safe by the EPA. It has been used for decades to kill microbiological material in tap water. Water providers across the country have to ensure that there is no more than 0.08 mg/L of chlorine in the water supply. Above this level, the EPA considers it unsafe. However, when chlorine interacts with organic matter in the water supply, it forms by-products such as trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), which are considered dangerous. These by-products are very toxic, and have been linked to cancer, birth defects, renal and respiratory problems. Besides this, from an aesthetic point of view, chlorine in water dries out your hair and skin. Have you ever notice this happening whenever you take a shower or swim in the pool. [ad#Post Body] Home Water Treatment - The Solution. Removing chlorine from your tap water will make it safer from a health point of view and give you softer hair and smoother skin. Not to mention, your tap water would taste a lot better than it does now. By acquiring a suitable home water treatment system, such as a water filter or purifier, you'll have healthier water that your family deserves. But it is important that you get a water filter that is suitable for this purpose. Some filters are sediment removers only and are useless against other contaminants. Therefore, make sure you get a water filter that is certified to NSF 42 as such filters are proven to reduce the chlorine levels in drinking water The NSF is the premier authority in the certification of water treatment systems. Their certification tells you what contaminants a water purifier can reduce and by how much. By checking out their online database on their website, you'll see a list of NSF certified filters. State health departments and reputable independent labs, also certifies water filtration products.
Posted in Chemicals

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Glossary of Terms

Air Binding - The clogging of a filter, or pipe, or pump due to the presence of air released from water. Air entering the filter media is harmful to both the filtration and backwash processes. Air can prevent the passage of water during the filtration process and can cause the loss of filter media during the backwash process.

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The first municipal water filtration works opened in Paisley, Scotland in 1832.
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