Many people believe tap water is poisonous, toxic or just “bad”. But I support it to a certain extent, depending on the levels of one of the concerns surrounding the tap water safety debate is the additive chlorine.
Chlorine is used as a disinfectant in many places in the developed world. The main concern with chlorine-treated water is not danger of ingesting the low levels of chlorine itself, but ingesting the disinfectant byproducts (DBPs) that occur when chlorine reacts with some other organic materials that may be in the water. The most common DBPs are trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). There is risk in the case of high levels or prolonged exposure to DBPs for health problems that affect the brain, liver, kidney, and heart. …show more content…
Also, MUD uses chloromide, which is a mixture of chlorine and ammonia, to disinfect. Unlike chlorine, chloramine has a longer half life in the distribution system and still maintains as an effective protection against pathogens. It is considered safer than treating with chlorine alone. MUD states that "chloraminated water is safe for warm-blooded animals to drink, including humans, kidney dialysis patients, pregnant women, infants, dogs, cats and birds, because their digestive systems neutralize chloramine before it reaches their bloodstreams." This water, however, is toxic to fish, reptiles, turtles, and amphibians because it "enters directly into their
Chlorine is used as a disinfectant in many places in the developed world. The main concern with chlorine-treated water is not danger of ingesting the low levels of chlorine itself, but ingesting the disinfectant byproducts (DBPs) that occur when chlorine reacts with some other organic materials that may be in the water. The most common DBPs are trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). There is risk in the case of high levels or prolonged exposure to DBPs for health problems that affect the brain, liver, kidney, and heart. …show more content…
Also, MUD uses chloromide, which is a mixture of chlorine and ammonia, to disinfect. Unlike chlorine, chloramine has a longer half life in the distribution system and still maintains as an effective protection against pathogens. It is considered safer than treating with chlorine alone. MUD states that "chloraminated water is safe for warm-blooded animals to drink, including humans, kidney dialysis patients, pregnant women, infants, dogs, cats and birds, because their digestive systems neutralize chloramine before it reaches their bloodstreams." This water, however, is toxic to fish, reptiles, turtles, and amphibians because it "enters directly into their