| Though most would hardly think there are health | | | | Drinking contaminated water is only one way chlorine |
| risks found in their water, according to Ralph Nader, it | | | | enters the body. Even taking a shower can put a |
| is only one of 2,100 toxic chemicals found in most | | | | person at risk. The warm water causes the chlorine |
| city water that can cause cancer. Yet most water | | | | to evaporate, and the steam in the shower might |
| systems only test for about 75 of these | | | | contain as much as 20 times more chlorine than the |
| contaminants. This article will focus on one of them, | | | | tap water! This chloroform is a cause of bronchitis, |
| chlorine. | | | | asthma, and certain types of cancer. The open pores |
| When I was a kid, I won a fish at the carnival. I was | | | | in the skin take in even more chlorine and cause skin |
| thrilled! The first think I had to do, of course, was to | | | | irritations such as eczema. The only protection from |
| buy a larger tank and fill it with tap water. Yet, so as | | | | this is a shower water filter. |
| not to kill my trophy, I had to treat water with some | | | | This is all shocking news to parents! After all, |
| de-chlorinating tablets. Question: if fish will die in | | | | children's bodies are much more susceptible to |
| chlorinated water, why do we think it's OK for us to | | | | chemical changes as described above. What |
| drink it? Yet, shocking as this may seem, the | | | | conscientious parents want to poison their child? |
| acceptable level of chlorine in some water systems is | | | | Many have opted for bottled water. After all, doesn't |
| above the maximum recommended for swimming | | | | it say, "Pure Spring water" right on the container? |
| pools! | | | | Unfortunately, that could be deceiving. In fact, the |
| Chlorine is an excellent disinfectant. We use chlorine | | | | FDA itself said, "Companies that market bottled |
| bleach to clean a house or purify a well. Bacteria such | | | | water as being safer than tap water are defrauding |
| as typhoid, cholera, or dysentery are wiped out in its | | | | the American public." This is because there are no |
| presence. However, chlorine also damages the body. | | | | regulations on bottled water across state lines. |
| It produces substances called THMs | | | | Companies have bottled tape water and labeled it, |
| (trihalomethanes). These damage the cells and are | | | | "Pure Mountain Fresh." This may not be honest, but it |
| cancer causing. Chlorine can also damage the arteries | | | | is perfectly legal. Coupled with the high cost and the |
| making is easier for cholesterol to attach itself to | | | | huge volume of disposed containers, this is obviously |
| their walls. At times contamination gets into a city | | | | not the best solution. |
| water system and it must be purged with extra | | | | The only safe sure way to guarantee your family is |
| chlorine. Research shows that such times evoke an | | | | getting chlorine free water is to filter it yourself. Start |
| increase in bladder, kidney, and urinary tract cancers. | | | | by purchasing a filter that promises to remove |
| Drinking water taken from the Mississippi River | | | | chlorine. Carbon filters, like the Berkey Water Filter, |
| contains 63 cancer causing compounds all of which | | | | do this. The small investment to filter your drinking |
| are made when chlorine reacts with pollutants such | | | | and cooking water is well worth the peace of mind |
| as carbon disulphide and methanol, both present in | | | | that will result. |
| the water. | | | | |