If we told you to say the first word that comes to your mind when we say the word chlorine, what would you say?
Pool?
9 times out of 10 that answer is yes. Chlorine is a common chemical used to disinfect water and eliminate harmful pathogens and other bacteria.
It also smells bad, tastes even worse and irritates your eyes.
It is a necessary part of keeping swimming pools clean, but no one tells you to have long periods of exposure to it.
So if that’s the case, why would you want that in your drinking, bathing and cleaning water?
Answer: YOU DON’T
So when it comes to wondering if DFW uses chlorine to sanitize and disinfect the water that comes into your home?
The answer is…technically, yes!
But the answer is more complex. So let’s “Dive In”
Does DFW Use Chlorine?
When it comes to sanitizing, filtering and disinfecting large amounts of water that will be released to millions of homes and businesses in the North Texas area, you have to figure out the best way to safely, effectively and efficiently get the job done.
Dallas and Fort Worth follow the EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) guidelines and rules for water filtration and quality.
One of those guidelines is disinfecting the water to rid it of harmful toxins, bacteria and other contaminants.
Some cities will use chlorine, but because of the harsh properties and health issues that can be found when using chlorine, cities like Dallas and Fort Worth actually use a substance called Chloramine which is a combination of chlorine and ammonia (another harmful chemical).
Chlorine Vs. Chloramine
Chlorine is a fast reacting disinfectant but dissolves quickly, which means larger amounts are needed to effectively keep the water clean. Chlorine has also been known to produce harmful byproducts that can post health risks from long term exposure.
Chloramine has been found to have longer lasting effects and a lesser amount is needed in water filtration because of that.
Chlorine and Chloramine can both irritate the skin, eyes and have a bad taste and odor. Chlorine is stronger than chloramine, but both can show those negative effects.
Chloramine is a “milder” version of chlorine but is actually harder to filter out!
Because of the composition of chloramine, a reverse osmosis filtration system is typically needed to eliminate it from the water.
Luckily, there is a simple solution to removing chlorine, chloramine and other harmful substances in your water!
Is Chlorine Harmful?
Chlorine in large doses is toxic, and can be fatal. The amounts of chlorine in our municipal water are safe, but they do have some negative side effects.
Chlorine has an unpleasant taste and odor. Does your water ever smell like a swimming pool, or bleach?
Chlorine can cause your laundry to fade in color. No one would ever bleach their colors intentionally, but that’s what we do each time we use city water to wash our clothes!
Chlorine causes your skin to feel dry and itchy, and makes your hair feel like straw. If you’ve ever spent a summer afternoon in a swimming pool, you’ll know the feeling. But why have these same problems in your house? You don’t have to…keep reading.
Elevate The Water In Your Home
Even though North Texas does an OKAY job* of filtering and cleaning the water, by the time it reaches your home, you can’t be sure exactly what the quality of water is.
*Read our latest article, Is The Water In North Texas (DFW) Really That Bad, for more details
Here at EcoWater Texas, we can provide a free in-home water test to let you know exactly what is in your water, the quality and even the hardness (Texas is known for having very hard water).
Once the test is complete, we can discuss options for a whole home system that transform your drinking water, and the water you use to wash your body, clothes and kitchen ware!
We use the latest technology, offer a great guarantee and have the knowledge and experience to set you up with the best tasting drinking water on the planet.
Contact us today to learn more!
