It May Be in Your Tap Water

In ancient and medieval times, about one third of all babies born had died before reaching their first year of life. They contracted bacteria from drinking water sources because there was no way to remove sewage from the supply. Dysentery, cholera and typhoid, diseases that affect the gastrointestinal system causing severe diarrhea, fevers, dehydration and possibly death, had no cure. And, there was no way to test the water. The early water supplies of our ancestors carried great risk. Imagine drinking water that could possibly kill you or your loved ones.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, America’s drinking water is among the safest in the world. In 1908, public drinking water supplies began to be disinfected with chlorine, dramatically reducing the incidence of diseases related to unsanitary water. The majority of city municipalities, to this day, still use chlorine in treating water to kill the microbes that may be present. Therefore chlorine, more than likely, is in your water — water used for drinking, bathing/showering, washing dishes and clothes, and cooking.

As with all concerns, there are different ways to view chlorine in the water supply. The shadow side of chlorinated water is becoming increasingly visible. Per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans are now consuming 300-600 times the amount that is considered safe to ingest. Chlorine is a chemical used as a disinfectant in most public water supplies, and it is also used in things like household bleach, Clorox Wipes, and other cleaning products. Chlorine releases disinfection by-products (DBPs) when it mixes with minute amounts of naturally occurring (organic) compounds in water.

One of these by-products is called Trihalomethane (THM). THMs increase the production of free radicals that cause cell damage in the body and are highly carcinogenic. For instance: according to the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality, “Cancer risk among people using chlorinated water is as much as 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine.” Current studies reveal that one common factor among women diagnosed with breast cancer is that they have a marked increased level of these chlorination by-products in their fat tissue – as compared to women without breast cancer.

Negative effects of chlorine and its by-products:

• Linked to bladder, colorectal and breast cancers
• Linked to kidney and liver damage
• Immune system dysfunction
• Nervous system problems
• Heart disease
• Destroys beneficial gut bacteria

Something to Think About

Do you know what happens when you put a small amount of chlorine into a fish bowl? All the fish die. Hence, this is why fish tanks come with a de-chlorinator. So, why are we potentially drinking and showering in this chemical? Fish may be small compared to humans, but over time small turns into large. Over the course of months and years, how much have we possibly ingested?

These are certainly points to raise eyebrows. Sometimes we cure a problem, like unsanitary water, and then ultimately create another. But, we also find ways to remove the harmful effects of these “cures”.

There are things you can do to make sure remaining chlorine is removed from your water. Gordon Brothers Water specialists can come to your location to do a free water analysis and determine what’s in your water. Unless it’s tested, you can’t possibly know what’s still hanging out in the supply coming into your home or business. Have you considered what is happening to pipes and appliances as chlorinated water flows through them? That’s something else our specialists will address.

Gordon Brothers representatives regularly hold Water Clinics at various Home Depot locations – where you can speak directly and schedule a free water analysis. Dates and locations are posted on Facebook and our website weekly, so visit our page to learn more. Or, you can call us directly to schedule an appointment today at 330-337-8754. We have customizable solutions for your water, leaving you with peace of mind.