What Are the Sources of Chlorine_in_Water?

Do you know the sources of chlorine in water? Well, chlorine has been used to sanitize public water systems since the early 20th century. It's so effective at killing pathogens that it was used as chemical weapon during World War I and World War II, with soldiers and civilians alike falling victim to mustard gas attacks. While chlorine is still used in sanitizing public water systems today, most people are unaware of the different sources of chlorine in their drinking water, or how it can affect their health and long-term wellbeing.

City Water Treatment Methods

The easiest and cheapest method is to filter out chlorine as part of your water treatment process. Most municipal water companies add chlorine at various points throughout their system. When it reaches your home, you have a few options to filter it out: use a showerhead filter, install an under-sink filter or buy larger filters for your kitchen sink (like those used by commercial restaurant chefs).

These are all affordable solutions that don't require much maintenance, making them ideal if you want a quick and easy fix. However, be aware that they can't remove fluoride-if that's an issue for you, look into buying an under-sink reverse osmosis filtration system instead.

Sources of Chlorine in Water: Tap Water

Unlike other types of water, tap water contains chlorine as a disinfectant. This is an excellent way to keep our water clean and prevent bacteria from growing, but it does mean that you're ingesting chlorine every time you take a drink. 

Although most municipal drinking water systems provide filtration methods to remove chlorine from your drinking water, it's still present in higher amounts than other sources. If you want to eliminate chlorinated tap water from your diet, you'll need to look elsewhere for hydration sources!

Reverse Osmosis Systems

One of the common sources of chlorine in water is to remove chlorine from your water is by using a reverse osmosis system. These machines filter out chlorine, as well as other contaminants, by sending water through a semi-permeable membrane that contains about 50 pounds of pressure per square inch (PSI). If you use a reverse osmosis system to remove chlorine from your drinking water, make sure you change or cleanse your filter regularly.

This can be done every three months for some machines and every six months for others. Consult with an expert about how often you should change your filter depending on its type, size and brand. Changing or cleansing filters regularly ensures fresh, clean drinking water.

Bottled Water

A lot of people don't realize that bottled water is just tap water. In fact, according to a study by The Environmental Working Group, 38% of bottled water is derived from municipal water sources. To be labeled as spring or natural, it must meet all federal requirements for clean drinking water.

Bottled water can cost hundreds of times more than tap, so next time you're looking for a source of chlorine-free H2O at home or on-the-go, grab a reusable bottle and fill it up with your city's drinking supply (there are many apps available to help you locate free public drinking fountains). It's better for your wallet and better for our environment! If you want an even safer option, consider purchasing a home filtration system.

Sources of Chlorine in Water: Swimming Pools

Chlorinated pools are certainly safer for swimmers than pools without chlorine. One chlorine molecule is released into a pool every time two other chlorine molecules react with two molecules of an impurity. These impurities could be bacteria, which comes from swimmers who have not showered before entering, or they could be dust particles that have become suspended in pool water.

The more particles there are, and the dirtier they are, then more free chlorine will be required to make them safe for swimming. Swimmers who do not shower before entering a pool can also contribute to unhealthy levels of free chlorine. This happens when sweat and oils mix with chlorinated water and combine with bacteria to form chloramines.

Uses of Chlorine

The most common use for chlorine is purification. It's used as a disinfectant to kill harmful bacteria that can make people sick. In fact, you probably use it in your drinking water on a daily basis without even realizing it! Most municipal water systems add small amounts of chlorine to their supply before distributing it throughout homes and businesses.

This helps prevent dangerous organisms from growing and spreading through the supply. Of course, when chlorine is added directly into drinking water, there are concerns about what happens when you drink it over time.