What is water chlorination, and how does it protect our health?

Chlorine is a natural element. It comes in many forms, including chloride (the form of chlorine you get from table salt), an essential nutrient for fluid balance in the body, digestion, and nerve function. Another form of chlorine is added to water to make it safe to drink.

“Chlorination” means adding a small amount of chlorine to drinking water to kill germs that make people sick. It is the most common way to make drinking water safe, and it keeps the water safe from the treatment plant all the way to your tap.

Waterborne infections are germs like bacteria, viruses, and parasites (including E. Coli, salmonella and campylobacter) found in water. These can come from many places – wildlife, landfills, run-off, and sewer pipes to name a few. If they get into the drinking water, they can make people very sick. In some cases, they can even cause death.

Yes! There is no evidence that the small amount of chlorine used to treat water causes harm. It has been used to keep drinking water safe for more than one hundred years.

Some people may notice the smell or taste of chlorine in their water, but this is not harmful. If your water smells or tastes like chlorine, here are some tips:

• Let the water sit in the fridge in an open pitcher for a few hours

• Use cold tap water for drinking and cooking

• Get a water filter and change it regularly. Before buying, make sure it says NSF 42 on the label – that means it’s certified to reduce chlorine taste and smell.

These steps will help take away the taste or smell of chlorine.

If you have sensitive skin, try using a scent-free moisturizer and taking shorter showers that are less hot.

Surface water from lakes and rivers usually needs chlorine to be safe to drink. Bigger water systems with more pipes have more chances for germs to get in, and so usually also need chlorine. In other cases, it is up to community members and their representatives to decide if they want to treat their water with chlorine.