Why is chlorine in tap water bad for you?

Author: Viviane Beatty PhD  |  Last update: Sunday, September 28, 2025

During water treatment, chlorine can combine with naturally occurring organic matter in the water to form compounds called disinfection byproducts (DBPs). DBPs can cause negative health effects after regular, long-term exposure. The EPA has set limits for several types of DBPs.

What does chlorine water do to your body?

Chloramines in the water can turn into gas in the air around the pool, which can irritate the throat and lungs. Skin dryness or irritation. Prolonged exposure to chlorine and chloramines can break down a protective layer on your child's skin that produces natural oils to keep skin moisturized and healthy.

What are the disadvantages of chlorinated water?

Disadvantages of Chlorination of Water
  • Unpleasant taste and odour.
  • Formation of potentially harmful disinfection byproducts.
  • Allergic reactions in some individuals.
  • Corrosive to certain materials and equipment.
  • Limited effectiveness against some parasites and viruses.

Is it good to remove chlorine from drinking water?

Water sufficiently filtered or cleaned to eliminate dangerous germs and other impurities is safe to drink even without chlorine. While chlorine does a good job of disinfecting public water systems, it is far from the sole option.

What are the symptoms of too much chlorine in water?

Signs of overly chlorinated tap water include dry skin, dull clothes, and lower-performing appliances. Chlorine can cause both short-term and long-term health problems, like respiratory issues and cancer. A water softener specialist can run water tests to confirm if your levels are too high.

Is Chlorine in Water (Tap Water) Really that Bad? - Dr. Berg

How harmful is chlorine in drinking water?

Is chlorinated water safe to drink? Yes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits the amount of chlorine in drinking water to levels that are safe for human consumption. The levels of chlorine used for drinking water disinfection are unlikely to cause long-term health effects.

Do water filters remove chlorine?

Activated carbon filters and water distillers both effectively remove chlorine from water. Many types of water treatment, such as reverse osmosis, refrigerator filters, and water pitcher filters, incorporate a carbon filter to effectively remove the tastes and odors chlorine adds to water.

Does a Brita filter remove chlorine?

Are Brita Pitcher Filters Certified to Reduce Chlorine and Chloramines? The Brita Standard and Elite filters are both certified for the reduction of aesthetic chlorine under NSF/ANSI 42, meaning that they should remove chlorine to levels low enough so they do not cause taste and odor problems in your drinking water.

What neutralizes chlorine in water?

Two forms of vitamin C, ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate, will neutralize chlorine. Neither is considered a hazardous chemical. First, vitamin C does not lower the dissolved oxygen as much as sulfur-based chemicals do. Second, vitamin C is not toxic to aquatic life at the levels used for dechlorinating water.

What are the long term side effects of drinking tap water?

If drinking water contains unsafe levels of contaminants, it can cause health effects, such as gastrointestinal illnesses, nervous system or reproductive effects, and chronic diseases such as cancer.

Does boiling water get rid of chlorine?

Boiling water will remove chlorine, as will allowing chlorinated water to stand in an open container for a few hours.

Is chlorine in water bad for your kidneys?

The study followed more than 3,000 people for 12 years and found that those who drank chlorinated water were more likely to develop kidney disease than those who didn't. Some researchers believe that chlorinated water can damage the proteins in the kidney cells, causing them to leak.

Should you let tap water sit before drinking?

An overnight sit won't do anything to make water unsafe to drink though. The water will just taste a little funky, and now you know the chemistry of why.

What are the dangers of chlorine water?

► Exposure to Chlorine can cause headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. ► Repeated exposure can lead to permanent lung damage.

Does your body absorb chlorine from tap water?

FAQs • What about bathing or showering with chlorinated wate. What about bathing or showering with chlorinated water? Chlorine does not get into the body through your skin.

Why do swimmers have good skin?

In simpler terms, swimming stimulates your metabolism by increasing the circulation of blood. As a result, toxin removal is facilitated. Hence, the more you swim, the better your skin will look and feel.

How to remove chlorine from tap water naturally?

Chlorine is a volatile compound that will naturally evaporate from water if left standing. This method is cost-free but time-consuming. Leave water exposed to air for at least 24 hours, preferably at room temperature to speed up the process. Benefits: Natural and cost-free.

Does bottled water have chlorine?

Does bottled water contain chlorine? Most brands do not contain chlorine but there are some bottled water companies that use chlorine to disinfect their water prior to bottling.

Does vitamin C cancel out chlorine?

Vitamin C effectively neutralizes chlorine and is safer to handle than sulfur-based dechlorination chemicals. The sodium ascorbate form of vitamin C has less affect on pH than the ascorbic acid form.

Why is Brita in a lawsuit?

The lawsuit alleges that by writing on their labels that their filters “Reduce 3X contaminants,” Brita has falsely given consumers the impression that the filter removes “arsenic, chromium-6, nitrate and nitrites” and other chemicals, including PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” It does not mention misleading ...

Does coffee filter remove chlorine?

Genuine PUR filters ensure that you're benefiting from activated carbon, which coffee experts recognize as eliminating chlorine from water.

How long does it take for chlorine to evaporate from water?

If you are sure your tap water contains chlorine and not chloramine, you can let the water sit for 1-5 days to allow all the chlorine to evaporate. To speed up the evaporation process, aerate the water with an air stone for 12-24 hours or boil the water for 15-20 minutes.

How do you fix too much chlorine in drinking water?

Does boiling remove chlorine from water? Yes, boiling water for 15 minutes will remove all of the chlorine form tap water. Alternatively, leave a jug of water uncovered at room temperature for at least 24 hours and the chlorine will evaporate without boiling.

What is the healthiest type of filter water?

Reverse osmosis filters will remove some types of chemicals from water, including lead, copper, chromium, chloride, and sodium. These filters may also reduce arsenic, fluoride, radium, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, nitrate, and phosphorous. Check the filter's label for the specific chemicals it can remove.

What is the best system to remove chlorine from water?

Activated carbon filters

They are one of the best ways to purify chlorinated H2O by removing its by-products, chemical taste, and odor.

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