Most drinking water that comes from the tap has traces of chlorine in it. This is because most water treatment plants around the world, including in Australia, use chlorine to treat the water.
The chlorine assists in killing microorganisms that can be found in the water. Although it’s good to get rid of potentially harmful water diseases, that can cause illnesses such as hepatitis A and typhoid, chlorine isn’t completely safe itself.
The side effects of chlorine
Chlorine can give people with sensitive skin some skin problems, causing them to break out with eczema and other skin irritations. It can also cause breathing problems for people suffering from asthma.
In large quantities, chlorine can start to give us stomach issues and bladder complications, which are caused through the chemical compounds that exist within chlorine, namely trihalomethanes (THMs) and halo acetic acids (HAAs).
Over time, these chemicals have been linked to cancer and nervous system damage. In the shower, chlorine can also cause our hair to become dry.
How chlorine can affect our drinking water
Chlorine easily gets into our water and then slowly but steadily makes it way into our bodies. This can be by drinking the water or simply through taking a shower. Sometimes, you can taste a funny taste, or even smell the chlorine in the water. If the water is used for cooking, or to make coffee, it can also affect the taste.
Thankfully, there are ways to remove chlorine from your drinking water so you don’t have to suffer from these negative effects.
Letting the gases out
Perhaps surprisingly, chlorine is actually a gas and therefore, if water is left to ‘breathe’, the gases can escape from the water. However, this can take a long time – generally more than 24 hours.
If you wish you use this process, simply place your water in a large container with a big opening and leave it for at least a whole day. This is a cheap way to filter your water, but not a great method to use if you were hoping to consume the water right away.
Boiling the water
Boiling water is a quick and easy way to relieve it of any nasties, including chlorine. Of course, the downside is that the water will be hot – so it’s not a good method if you were hoping for a cool and refreshing glass of water. However, if you have time on your hands you can pop it into the fridge and wait for it to cool.
To ensure all the chlorine is completely gone when using the boiling method, it is worth boiling it for between 15-20 minutes.
De-chlorination tablets
You can pop de-chlorination tablets into your drinking water to rid it of chlorine. The tablets are made up of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) which, when coming in to contact with the chlorine, rids the chlorine from the water.
Filtering your water
Filtering water is one of the easiest solutions to get chlorine out of your water, and is a common method many people use in their homes.
There are a huge range of filters on the market and it is worth taking your time and investing in one that does the job properly, as not all filters remove chlorine from the water.
The different types of filtration systems include water cooler filters, house water filters, faucet filters and many more options.
However, if you really want to rid the chlorine from your water, it is best to opt for a carbon filter. Carbon filters absorb all the chlorine from the water when the water passes through them, getting rid of the horrible chlorine odour and the other side effects chlorine can cause.
Brita water filters
One of the best and inexpensive ways to filter tap water is by using Brita filters. Drinking water filtered through this system has been tested in a lab, showing the filters remove all chlorine that was previously present in the drinking water. Not only that, but Brita water filters have also been known to remove other nasties, such as copper, from the water.
In fact, Brita water filters can filter out all the nasties found within drinking water, so you can rest assured your drinking water is safe to drink. The only substance it doesn’t seem to filter out is fluoride, which is probably a good thing as fluoride is known to be great for our teeth. Although Brita does remove trace amounts of the fluoride, it keeps enough of it within the drinking water so that we can still reap the benefits.
The advanced water system filtration method
If you really want to ensure no chlorine ever gets into your drinking water, then you can choose a reverse osmosis filtration method. This effective water filtration system uses a five step process to make sure the water you are drinking is completely purified. Throughout different stages of the filtration process, different nasties are eliminated from the water. Chlorine comes out in stage two, when a carbon water filter is used. Other molecules that shouldn’t be within the water are filtered out through an osmotic membrane chamber, a filtration process that also uses carbon.
The end result is very high quality drinking water which will taste delicious, even though the filtration system will be expensive to install in your home. With the chemical nasties that are out there, it’s certainly worthwhile to invest in some type of filtration system for your home, so you are not knocking back chlorine every time you have a glass of water.
Remember, chlorine can cause long-term health damage, which is why it’s best to have a filtration system in place to help keep your family safe.
Of course, one of the best ways to ensure your drinking water is always safe, is to drink Beloka Water. Australian mineral water, bottled it at its source. Beloka Water is pure and untouched water that does not require de-chlorination and does not have any nasties within it.
If you want a safe and clean drinking source, choose Beloka Water.