Chlorine in Shower Water
If you get your water from the city and are not filtering it in any way, then it's very likely that there is chlorine in your shower water. After chlorine is added to the water at the treatment plant, it's not removed – the fact that the chlorine stays active means that it continues to disinfect the water as it travels through pipes that could have bacteria or other germs in them. Once that water gets to your home, however, it's best to get rid of the chlorine.
Why is chlorine in shower water a concern? Because this chemical can be inhaled and absorbed through your skin. When you shower in hot water, you inhale the steam – water vapor that contains chlorine, disinfection byproducts like trihalomethanes, and many other water pollutants. Your digestive system is designed to handle possible toxins in a way that your lungs aren't, which means that even low level exposure to these chemicals through inhalation may have a much more significant effect than drinking them in water. Studies suggest that several types of trihalomethanes may cause cancer, and there are indications that cancer rates are higher for people who drink (and bathe in) chlorinated water.
The people who 'suggest that several types of trihalomethanes may cause cancer' have also reaped huge rewards by inventing water treatment methods to remove trihalomethanes. Chlorine has been added to US water systems since the early 1900s resulting in a steady decline in water born diseases which caused many deaths. To reduce trihalomethanes, some water companies have had to utilize Chloramines (a blend of ammonia and chlorine) as the disinfectant. The breakdown of Chloramines produces nitrates in the water which reduces the uptake of O2 in the blood. Babies who drink water with nitrates will get 'blue baby syndrome', meaning they turn blue due to a lack of O2.
There is NO EVIDENCE to support the assertion that trihalomethanes cause cancer. The way the EPA scared people into reducing THMs was to make the statement that THMs may cause miscarriages. That was enough to scare everyone into spending billions to reduce THMs. I've worked at a major public water agency for 39 years and WE have spent billions for a fake boogie man.
Great post, BDR. I don't blame people if they want to filter out chlorine in their homes, but as you correctly assert, removing it from water treatment would be a disaster.
I'd encourage people to be far more focused on getting the fluoride out of their water than the chlorine.
Thank you for your very excellent reply, especially with your background in water treatment. But they do make a good point that once the water goes through the pipes and you are ready to use it...there is no reason to have Chlorine or anything else in it. I don't doubt that people profit greatly from scare tactics, but on the other hand, I would rather not have any more chemicals than necessary in water that I drink or use. It appears to me that there have been people independent of the government that have studied this and come to the same conclusions about the toxicity of chlorine...the bottom line is who do you trust. I do realize the above was from a government site.
Do they always know the causes of the uptick in cancer in children...I doubt that, so who is to say it isn't from the water...or food...or atmosphere. I mean Dane Wigginton has done extensive research that is very compelling and yet he is pooh-poohed by many. I don't doubt for one second that the government uses many scenarios such as you describe to steal and profit from the government...I mean look at Obama and solar panels. It is a con game from start to finish and the only losers are those who can't find the truth in all the lies...
Without a little bit of chlorine as part of the treatment process, there would undoubtedly be a huge uptick in waterborne pathogens so I understand why it's there (to BigDaddy's point).
That being said, I would encourage you to look into getting a reverse osmosis system as I don't particularly want to drink chlorine (as well as my wife and son).
The bigger problem in our water is the amount of fluoride. There's far more data showing that to have negative health impacts than chlorine. Reverse osmosis will get a good portion of the fluoride out but still leave quite a bit behind. I use a special pitcher filter to get most of the remaining fluoride out of our actual drinking water.
I would say that once the water comes out if the pipes in the house, then you can filter it and drink it. There is still the chance that bacterial can be in the house plumbing and the chlorine in the water will disinfect house plumbing. I have no problem drinking tap water. I don’t like the smell of the chlorine, but as long as I smell it I have a high confidence it is safe to drink.
Now go check out bars of soap that have titanium oxide in them.
Well, rubbing on your skin vs injecting into your bloodstream is not quite equivalent.
Nor is dying from being clean.
And then check out about absorbing chlorine from your hot shower...
https://www.uswatersystems.com/the-truth-about-chlorine-in-your-shower-water
Chlorine in Shower Water If you get your water from the city and are not filtering it in any way, then it's very likely that there is chlorine in your shower water. After chlorine is added to the water at the treatment plant, it's not removed – the fact that the chlorine stays active means that it continues to disinfect the water as it travels through pipes that could have bacteria or other germs in them. Once that water gets to your home, however, it's best to get rid of the chlorine.
Why is chlorine in shower water a concern? Because this chemical can be inhaled and absorbed through your skin. When you shower in hot water, you inhale the steam – water vapor that contains chlorine, disinfection byproducts like trihalomethanes, and many other water pollutants. Your digestive system is designed to handle possible toxins in a way that your lungs aren't, which means that even low level exposure to these chemicals through inhalation may have a much more significant effect than drinking them in water. Studies suggest that several types of trihalomethanes may cause cancer, and there are indications that cancer rates are higher for people who drink (and bathe in) chlorinated water.
The people who 'suggest that several types of trihalomethanes may cause cancer' have also reaped huge rewards by inventing water treatment methods to remove trihalomethanes. Chlorine has been added to US water systems since the early 1900s resulting in a steady decline in water born diseases which caused many deaths. To reduce trihalomethanes, some water companies have had to utilize Chloramines (a blend of ammonia and chlorine) as the disinfectant. The breakdown of Chloramines produces nitrates in the water which reduces the uptake of O2 in the blood. Babies who drink water with nitrates will get 'blue baby syndrome', meaning they turn blue due to a lack of O2.
There is NO EVIDENCE to support the assertion that trihalomethanes cause cancer. The way the EPA scared people into reducing THMs was to make the statement that THMs may cause miscarriages. That was enough to scare everyone into spending billions to reduce THMs. I've worked at a major public water agency for 39 years and WE have spent billions for a fake boogie man.
Great post, BDR. I don't blame people if they want to filter out chlorine in their homes, but as you correctly assert, removing it from water treatment would be a disaster.
I'd encourage people to be far more focused on getting the fluoride out of their water than the chlorine.
Absolutely agree, Fluoride is bad stuff for the body.
Thank you for your very excellent reply, especially with your background in water treatment. But they do make a good point that once the water goes through the pipes and you are ready to use it...there is no reason to have Chlorine or anything else in it. I don't doubt that people profit greatly from scare tactics, but on the other hand, I would rather not have any more chemicals than necessary in water that I drink or use. It appears to me that there have been people independent of the government that have studied this and come to the same conclusions about the toxicity of chlorine...the bottom line is who do you trust. I do realize the above was from a government site.
Do they always know the causes of the uptick in cancer in children...I doubt that, so who is to say it isn't from the water...or food...or atmosphere. I mean Dane Wigginton has done extensive research that is very compelling and yet he is pooh-poohed by many. I don't doubt for one second that the government uses many scenarios such as you describe to steal and profit from the government...I mean look at Obama and solar panels. It is a con game from start to finish and the only losers are those who can't find the truth in all the lies...
Without a little bit of chlorine as part of the treatment process, there would undoubtedly be a huge uptick in waterborne pathogens so I understand why it's there (to BigDaddy's point).
That being said, I would encourage you to look into getting a reverse osmosis system as I don't particularly want to drink chlorine (as well as my wife and son).
The bigger problem in our water is the amount of fluoride. There's far more data showing that to have negative health impacts than chlorine. Reverse osmosis will get a good portion of the fluoride out but still leave quite a bit behind. I use a special pitcher filter to get most of the remaining fluoride out of our actual drinking water.
I would say that once the water comes out if the pipes in the house, then you can filter it and drink it. There is still the chance that bacterial can be in the house plumbing and the chlorine in the water will disinfect house plumbing. I have no problem drinking tap water. I don’t like the smell of the chlorine, but as long as I smell it I have a high confidence it is safe to drink.
There’s also the industrial by product poison fluoride that’s in treated water.