How Your City Adds Chloramines to Your Tap Water

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http://www.mercola.com/2005/sep/15/how_your_city_adds_chloramines_to_your_tap_water.htm How Your City Adds Chloramines to Your Tap Water By Richard Mesquita, AquaMD(AquaMD is the water testing division of the American Water Council, a nationally respected provider of water education and testing services. AquaMD has teamed with Dr. Mercola to provide you both the free home water evaluation and the Dr. Mercola water testing packages at http://www.aquamd.com/mercola/labtests.)Recently, two unrelated children ages 2 and 4, living in Greenville, N.C., were found to have extremely high levels of lead in their blood. One child had lead levels in his blood that were 200 percent higher than the medical safety standard. And the other child's lead level was about 150 percent higher than the so-called safe limit.What were these children exposed to that caused them to absorb so much lead into their bodies? All signs point to the public water supply!It turns out the water company's water was leaching lead from lead solder used to connect water pipes in the homes' plumbing systems.In fact, the tap water tested at the home of one of these children contained lead levels of 400 parts per billion (ppb). To put that number in perspective, even the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says lead levels in water exceeding 15 ppb are very dangerous and must be acted upon.The local water company's own water tests also showed 25 percent of all samples collected at various homes in their coverage area were contaminated with lead at levels starting at 15 ppb, if not more. No doubt, many more water samples showed levels of lead that were also dangerous, but since they were below the EPA's action level, the water utility did not have to report them.How did Lead Leach Into the Water Supply?The water company started treating the public water supply with chloramines. Chloramines are formed by combining chlorine and small amounts of ammonia. That combination yields three known varieties:Monochloramine Dichloramine TrichloramineChloramines eat away at the lead contained in the solder used to connect pipes, as well as actual lead service lines, and deposits lead into the water supply. So why did this North Carolina water company start adding chloramines to the public water supply in the first place?Believe it or not, they did it to reduce the levels of harmful trihalomethanes (TTHMs) they were finding in their water. As you may recall, TTHMs are types of disinfection byproducts that have been linked to liver, kidney and central nervous system damage as well as cancer. They are very widespread in public water supplies.The water company could have selected another water treatment option that would have reduced TTHMs in the water supply and kept it bacteria-free, but adding chloramines to the water was the low-cost option.Adding chloramines to the public water supply isn't limited to this North Carolina water company either. More and more, water companies across the United States have switched to chloramines in an attempt to keep bacteria from growing in their water. In fact, 25 percent of water companies now use them as their primary disinfection chemical of choice.Just so you know, reports of high lead levels in public water supplies aren't limited to North Carolina. Within the past year, the water company serving the Washington, D.C. area switched to chloramines and soon found lead levels 3,200 times greater than the EPA's action level. Things were so bad, according to the Washington Post, the water company withheld reporting some of their water test results and simply told their customers their water was fine.That same newspaper reported, "Cities across the country are manipulating the results of tests used to detect lead in water, violating federal law, and putting millions of Americans at risk."Health Effects of ChloraminesThe lead that is leached into the water supply by chloramines has been linked to kidney damage, miscarriages, nervous system damage, anemia, high blood pressure, brain damage and reproductive difficulties, as well as learning and behavioral problems in children. Plus, chloramines leach copper into public water supplies. And long-term exposure to high levels of copper can cause liver damage, kidney damage, headaches, stomach problems and dizziness, among others.In addition, scientists have discovered chloramines can create their own disinfection byproducts, such as N-nitrosodimethylamine. And this specific disinfection byproduct is a human carcinogen.Some research links chloramines to bladder cancer. It's also believed the ammonia used to create chloramines in water can cause nitrate levels to rise and hurt young children.Can Chloramines be Removed From the Water?Chloramines are very difficult to remove from water by using reverse-osmosis systems or water softeners. Distilling water also won't remove them. But they can typically be removed with the right granular-activated carbon filter.The problem: Public water supplies typically also contain other toxic substances that may not be removed by granular-activated carbon. No water filter exists that treats all problems.That's why you should find out which toxins are in your water, then install the right treatment system to deal with your specific problem.I also encourage you to meet with your health practitioner to reverse any damage these contaminants may have done to your health.Dr. Mercola's Comment:Please don't fool yourself into thinking that you can tell your water is safe by the way it looks, tastes or smells.Some contaminants in water are so harmful that they are measured in "parts per million" or "parts per billion." In other words, just a drop of these poisons added to gallons and gallons of water can be very harmful.Just installing a filter to purify your drinking water may not be enough. You could still be exposed to contaminated water when you:Shower or bathe Wash your hands Wash laundry Rinse fruits and vegetables Wash dishes, glasses and other utensilsIf you are unsure if your water is safe, I recommend you find out by taking advantage of AquaMD's Diagnostic Service or their Direct Laboratory Testing Services.How AquaMD's Diagnostic Service Works1. If your water is supplied by a water company or municipality:You simply answer some brief, but pertinent questions in their online questionnaire.One of AquaMD's water diagnosticians will review your responses and contact your water company to examine the laboratory tests they have performed on your water supply.AquaMD will provide you with a written report advising:If the water you are using is safe right now. If you need a specific water treatment system to remove the contaminants found in your water. If some limited additional laboratory tests should be performed because your water company did not conduct them.2. If your water is supplied by a private well:You need to have your well water tested yourself at least once a year. Since there are hundreds of contaminants you can test for, it is not cost effective to test for every possible one.Thus AquaMD's Diagnostic Service will ask you to respond to more extensive questions. Your answers will be reviewed by one of their water diagnosticians and they will recommend exactly what lab tests you should have performed, and explain why they should be performed.If contamination is found, they will also provide you with unbiased treatment advice.AquaMD Diagnostic Service is risk-free and completely independent. If you are not satisfied with their service, they will refund your money.If you prefer, you can also take advantage of Dr. Mercola Lab Test Packages that I've created with the help of AquaMD. You can also customize your own packages to fit your needs.I encourage you to find out if your water is safe by taking advantage of AquaMD's services at AquaMD.com.Related Articles:Cadmium Being Found in More and More AmericansThe Danger Lurking in Your ShowerBeryllium: The Hidden Toxin in Your WaterCan Washing Dishes Really Harm Your Health?