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Effects of Heavy Chlorine in Drinking Water

Because of its high toxicity, particularly to bacteria, chlorine is commonly used as a disinfectant for a number of purposes. The United States federal government has required that chlorine be used to purify drinking water supplies for nearly a century, and anyone with a swimming pool in their backyard knows the importance of adding chlorine to the water. Despite its popularity, chlorine is still a toxin, and more and more research is showing it to be an outdated form of water treatment.

  1. Destruction of Organisms

    • Chlorine is used to destroy bacteria in drinking water, which is largely a positive effect. It is a chemical toxin, though, and kills such bacteria indiscriminately: including some bacteria that our bodies benefit from, like acidophilus. Acidophilus is a protective organism that works with other organisms inside the body, particularly in the colon, to help strengthen our immunity against infection. While chlorine in drinking water kills these naturally occuring organisms, it can cause harm to people who consume it -- we are living things, after all -- and is powerless against parasites.

    Chemical Reactions

    • As an active and fairly potent chemical, chlorine reacts with other chemicals present in a water source and creates new chemicals. These chlorinated hydrocarbons, or trihalomethane, are formed when chlorine is added to a water supply and comes into contact with decomposing plant or animal matter. The resulting trihalomethane, or THM, is more dangerous for humans than the original decomposing matter or the chlorine, so while the chlorine kills off bacteria in the water, it bonds with other matter to create something that is potentially more lethal than the bacteria it was intended to kill.

    Increased Cause of Cancer

    • One of the effects of humans consuming THMs is an increased cancer rate. Increased rates of colon, bladder and rectal cancer have been observed in communities exposed to highly chlorinated water sources. A 44 percent higher chance of developing cancer has been observed in those chronically exposed to highly chlorinated drinking water.

    Birth Defects and Miscarriages

    • California researches conducted a study on 5,000 pregnant women in the Walnut Creek and Santa Clara communities and discovered that women who drank more than five glasses of chlorinated tap water a day had a 9.5 percent risk of miscarriage, nearly double the 5.7 percent of women who drank less than five glasses. The study did not include data for women who did not drink the tap water or consume THMs. Chlorine in water has also been attributed with the destruction of essential fatty acids, which are essential to the development of the brain and nervous system.

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