How To Remove Chlorine From Water

By Jeff Wise March 10, 2020

I always wanted to know how to remove chlorine from water ever since I took a big gulp of it from a swimming pool. It's disgusting!

Not only is the smell of chlorine bad, but it’s not fun to taste either.

The worst part is, it's highly toxic. There's a reason why the skull and crossbones warning label is stamped on a bag of chlorine.

Not only is it dangerous to consume, but even inhaling the fumes can cause long-term damage.

It’s a little disconcerting knowing that chlorine flows through my tap water, and not just the closest community pool.

We know that chlorine “cleans” other contaminants, but can the chlorine byproducts found in tap water lead to health problems? The answer is a loud yes!

How To Remove Chlorine From Water - The Why Part

Typically, you may hear that only an exposure to a large amount of chlorine, whether gas or liquid, can lead to health concerns.

According to the CDC, these negative symptoms can include blurred vision; burning sensations on the skin, nose, throat, and eyes; chest tightness; coughing; difficulty breathing; nausea and vomiting; wheezing; and fluid in the lungs.

If you are exposed to high levels of liquid or gas chlorine, you should immediately remove any chlorine exposed clothing and wash off your body. Should your eyes be affected, you should rinse them for 10-15 minutes.

If large amounts of chlorine can cause immediate health threats that require urgent action, doesn’t it make sense that even small amounts of exposure can lead to harm over time?

Chlorine Safety

Why Chlorine in Our Water Supply?

But first, why do we even have chlorine in our tap water? This practice began in the late 1800s and by the early 1900s it was the standard way to treat water.

We already know it’s not a safe chemical for humans, so why would they add it? First, because it kills bacteria, which can lead to other health problems.

But second, and often the main reason those making decisions willingly sacrifice the health of others, is because it’s cheap.

Here we are, more than a century later, still adding a toxic chemical to our tap water because it's the cheapest option.

Chlorine Concerns Not a New Thing

Chlorine concerns aren’t a new development, though.

In the 1960s, Dr. Joseph Price wrote a book called Coronaries/Cholesterol/Chlorine.

This book dove into the connections between Chlorine and heart issues.

Price conducted studies on chickens by giving some chlorinated water, and the others unchlorinated.

All the chickens in the former category developed heart or circulatory disease, while the latter remained healthy.

The chlorine-exposed chickens also suffered from poor circulation, drooping feathers, and less energy for activity.

On the contrary, the non-chlorine chickens were healthy and active.

How Chlorine Works

The whole purpose of chlorine is to kill living organisms, which it can do in even small amounts. It easily destroys cells and tissues.

When chlorine combines with other natural compounds, as it does during water treatment, it forms into Trihalomethanes, which are chlorination byproducts.

These byproducts lead to cell damage and over time can lead to cancer.

While clearly drinking chlorinated water is harmful, one of the main exposure threats is when we shower.

Through the steam, we not only inhale chlorine, but it also seeps through our skin.

Then the chlorine travels into our bloodstream. Among other health problems, it is suspected to cause asthma and bronchitis.