Chlorine Is The Single Largest Contributor For Safe Drinking Water

harmful bacteria. It is a chemical used to disinfect water(Department of Health, n.d.,para 2). Chlorine is a yellow-green gas, and has an odor similar to bleach in room temperature (Department of Health,n.d.,para 1). Chlorination can protect people protect people from E-coli, Rotavirus, Salmonella, Adenoviruses, and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, all sicknesses (Dewar,2010-2013,para 2). Chlorine is a chemical used to disinfect water.

In 1978 17% of the United States production went into the production of vinyl chloride monomer. Other chlorinated organics consumed 48% of United States Production. Toxicity and Precautions Chlorine was used in World War I as a poison gas. In fact most poisonous gases have chlorine in them. Chlorine is very corrosive to moist tissue and has a very irritating effect on the lungs and mucous membranes of the nose and throat.

The very chemicals that are used to treat our water to kills deadly toxins are the same chemicals that can pose health problems when digested for a period of time (EPA 2013). For instance, excessive consumption of fluoride over a lifetime may lead to increased likelihood of bone fractures in adults, and tooth enamel pits in young children. Lead consumption leads to physical and mental development in children and mercury consumption leads to kidney damage. (Birmingham Water Works).

The use of chlorine revolutionized pool sanitation and cleanliness in the early 1900s. While there have been large improvements in the construction of pools since the mid-twentieth century, the products available for sanitation and the policies regarding them remain mostly the same today. Chlorine is excellent at keeping bacteria levels down in pools, but there are still improvements to be made and caution must be used during pool maintenance. Chlorine can cause deterioration of the cornea and respiratory issues, including an increase in asthma among individuals who frequent indoor pools. Additionally, chlorinated water runoff from pools and hot tubs into waterways can be detrimental to wildlife, even at rates as low as 0.011 ppm (Olsen,

A half-mile neighborhood, in the town of Woburn, has a staggering 8 cases of Leukemia amongst children -- a rate that is three times the national average. These cases were discovered following the construction of local Wells G and H, both of which received complaints of water quality. Upon investigation, we discovered that the contamination of both of the wells is likely a significant factor in the health of Woburn residents. Pollutants used by companies in the area, trichloroethylene, are known to cause Leukemia. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality Engineering discovered high amounts of trichloroethylene in wells G and well H. This chemical is commonly as a cleaning fluid -- the most efficient way to dispose of it being to simply discard the waste into a secluded body of water. In the case of Woburn, trichloroethylene seeped into soil which would later contaminate the water in both wells after they were built. Following the infrastructure of the water supply, the contaminated drinking water made its way to the neighborhood that would later experience the tragic loss of two children, and the following diagnosis of Leukemia in 6 others. We are hereby setting out to prove that the

The city of Stockton’s water cleaning company uses “chloramines which are not as chemically active as chlorine” to filter their tap water system (recordnet.com). However, due to the drought and lack of water many of the chloramines compounded together and became toxic. Moving on, Chloramine is a compound made up of very low concentration of chlorine and ammonia. However, large quantity of chloramine can be harmful since the chlorine can compound onto each other, which develops trichloramine (recordnet.com). Trichloramine can cause redness in the eye, irritation of the skin, and if ingested in large quantity, the respiratory system can be damaged. Moving on, the water contamination in Stockton effects all the residents in North Stockton only. Despite that the water contamination is only in North Stockton, the residents are taking precaution to using their tap water due to the unsure effects of ingesting the contaminated

In the past, the country did not have any established professional filtration systems, but now Salvadorians use basins and Biosand Filters to sanitize their water. Families would have to take trips down to polluted rivers for water, but now “families in El Salvador are experiencing the health and spiritual benefits of Biosand filters” (Six Thousands Water filters…). Salvadorians were contacting diseases such as Hepatitis A & E by drinking the contaminated water, putting their lives at risk. With Biosand filters, the water must go through a series of layers of sand and gravel, causing the infectious bacteria to get caught. A more efficient way the country is now filtrating their water is with the proposed establishment of water treatment plants on rivers. According to Rodrigo Alonso, “El Salvador’s environment and natural resources ministry will invest $300 million U.S. dollars to build four treatment plants to improve water quality in the rivers” (Alonso). These plants will focus on getting rid of the pollutants in rivers and streams. This will remove water borne diseases like Hepatitis and Cholera. Improving the water filtration systems across El Salvador, will help rise the citizen’s life

Chlorine is a dangerous solution when not properly used correctly. It has negative and a few positive effects. Also, developing a limited amount of time around it can help prevent some effects caused by think compound. Chlorine can develop many effects on physical features, someone who is not in use of a chlorine pool, and the health risks of an individual.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) strictly regulates the levels of health-risking contaminants that are allowed in drinking water, to try and ensure that tap water, used for drinking, meets certain standards. Chlorine is used by most water treatment facilities in the United States, to clean the water drinking supplies. The EPA has determined that chlorine levels of four parts per million, or less, are safe for human consumption. While, the chlorination of drinking water has been credited with increasing life expectancy, and being one of our nation’s major public health achievements, there have been studies, that link chlorination to higher occurrences of some types of cancer, and other health problems, including eczema, heart disease, asthma, and higher miscarriage rates. When chlorine interacts with various organic compounds in the fresh water, trihalomethanes (THMs) are produced, which are environmental pollutants, and carcinogenic. When THMS are ingested, they foster the growth of free radicals, which are known to harm or destroy vital body

health and are known or anticipated to occur in water from public water systems.” (United

Despite its ability to disinfect water, the EPA has shown that chlorine byproducts can contribute to such serious diseases like cancer and damage to internal organs and the central nervous system. This study discussed by the public organization, National Drinking Water Clearinghouse, found that these byproducts also were considered for their role in miscarriages and the ability to alter DNA. While the levels of chlorine in your drinking water are monitored, you do have other options to filtrate your water instead. Reverse osmosis solutions combined with your home water filtration system can provide an extra measure of ensuring that almost all contaminants are removed without the use of chlorine.

Chlorinated water kills bacteria because it breaks down into chlorine and oxygen. Both the chlorine is an atom and the oxygen need more electrons are unique for every different

At first I have thought about using chlorine dioxide and high rate multimedia sand filter. Besides chlorine dioxide being costly and producing chlorites and chlorates as a byproduct, a sand filter would not be sufficient in removing illness causing pathogens. I felt that lake vista being recycled wastewater and some viruses being able withstand UV disinfection from the sun, it would be the safest way to ensure that the water is virus and pathogen free. With the use of a ultrafiltration membrane, we could filter out any remaining organic matter that may cause THM formation, and also remove cysts, bacteria, protozoa and any other pathogen.

Chlorine is added to the effluent to disinfect any remaining microbiological pathogens; this takes at least half an hour. The effluent is then treated with sulphur dioxide gas to remove excess chlorine, which would be harmful to the river ecosystem.

Every day Americans depend on public water systems to treat and deliver over 44 billion gallons of water to homes daily (“Importance of Clean Water”). However, Americans