What's in my Tap Water Now? Chrloramine

It's amazing how good intentions can come out so wrong sometimes. And even though this good intention fixed an earlier problem, the result ends up being just as bad, if not worse, than it was before. And what's really rotten, is no one owns up to the fact that the problem is worse.

So here's what's coming to, or is already in, your tap water now: Chloramine.

Chloramine: How is it used?

Free chlorine has been used for decades in municipal water treatment. It turns out that the combination of chlorine and certain organics in water can produce a new category of dangerous carcinogens called Disinfectant by-Products (DBP). After the serious adverse health effects of DBPs were discovered, the USEPA promulgated the Disinfectant By-Product Rule pertaining to the use of chlorine in drinking water.

To reduce the concentration of Disinfectant by-Products in drinking water, the water industry began to use chloramine (chlorine and ammonia). By reducing the amount of chlorine and replacing it with ammonia, DBP levels dropped. More and more municipalities across the US are transitioning to chloramine in an effort to comply with EPA standards.

What are the Health Effects?

Hospitals and kidney dialysis centers must be alerted when chloramine is used for water supply disinfection. Cases of chloramine-induced hemolytic anemia in patients have been reported when their dialysis water was not appropriately treated. Persons with liver or kidney disease and those with hereditary urea cycle disorders are at increased risk for ammonia toxicity from the consumption of chloraminated water and kidney dialysis patients cannot use chloraminated water in their dialysis machines because it will cause hemolytic anemia.

It has been found that chloraminated water vapor from showers, baths, hot tubs, dishwashers, and other household appliances contains volatilized chemicals that can be inhaled and cause irritation to the respiratory tract. Prolonged chloramine exposure can potentially damage lung mucosa, making the lungs more susceptible to allergens and infections. Some individual cases have reported light to severe skin reactions ranging from rashes, itching, chapping, cracking, flaking to blistering skin conditions and chloramine has been known to aggravate skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Is There any Harm from Drinking Chloramines?

Unlike chlorine, chloramine does not rapidly dissipate on standing, nor does it dissipate by boiling. Drawbacks to the use of chloramine can include potential water quality problems (e.g., nitrification and corrosion) if the municipal or well water treatment process is not carefully controlled and the system's operational practices are not appropriately adjusted for the new disinfectant.

While chloramination has been recommended by the EPA since the 1990s as a way to lower the level of carcinogenic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) created by chlorination, it has led to unintended consequences, in some cases making the water extremely toxic. Chloramine, like chlorine, are toxic to fish and amphibians at levels used for human drinking water.

How Do I Remove Chloramine from my Drinking Water?

The most effective way to economically reduce chloramine is through the use of specially designed carbon called Catalytic carbon. Catalytic carbon is found in specialized filters. Many outlets provide such filters and the prices range from $20 - the hundreds depending on what type of water filtration process you provide for yourself. Traditional Granular Activated Carbon is not totally effective at chloramine removal. Though an over the counter type of water filter may bring peace of mind, they do NOT screen out a significant portion of chloramine in the water.

Protect yourself and your family's health by investing in a water purification system that has been independently tested and brings residual health benefits. Visit my website to learn more about the health benefits of drinking properly filtered, ionized water today!

Article Source: http://www.wellnessarticlelibrary.com

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated