What Are They Putting In My Tap Water Now?

A Reader asks The Green Guide

My water bill this month contained a notice that our town will be switching from chlorine to chloramine disinfection for drinking water. Is this good or bad? I have a Slim-Line shower filter: Will this be effective for removing chloramine?

The Green Guide Responds

This February, San Francisco and surrounding areas switched their drinking water disinfection from chlorine to chloramine. Chloramine, a chlorine-ammonia compound, is more stable in the water system than chlorine, and only slowly breaks down into chlorine and ammonia. While both methods, common nationwide, may sound ominous, there's little to worry about, except in special cases (chloraminated water in dialysis, fishtanks, and in certain business uses will need to be filtered, just as with chlorine). Chloraminated water can also cause rubber parts in household plumbing and water heaters to degrade more quickly. Chloramine-resistant replacement parts are available.

As for the Slim-Line showerhead, though it is an effective solution to chlorinated water in the shower, which accounts for 50 percent or more of daily chlorine exposure, it doesn't eliminate chloramine.

Chloramine disinfection, however, is preferable to chlorine for almost all uses: drinking, cooking, bathing, gardening, and pets. Your water's taste may improve, the carcinogens called trihalomethanes formed by chlorine will be reduced, and more pathogens will be removed due to chloramine's extra stability. As of January 1 of this year, the EPA has begun regulating chlorine, chloramines and byproduct levels in the drinking water of all communities, adding a nationwide level of oversight. Chlorine and chloramine levels are capped at 4 parts per million, but there is no cap set for ammonia. With San Francisco's chloramine program, however, chloramine and chlorine levels are capped at 2 ppm and ammonia at 0.5 ppm.

Chloramine and the small amount of ammonia produced in breakdown are neutralized in digestion, but chlorine can lead to eye and nose irritation, anemia, stomach discomfort, and damaged hair and skin. While the EPA's regulation, and chloramine's stability, should minimize all these symptoms, there are solutions if you're still worried or if you're one of the special cases mentioned above. Standard water filtration will reduce but not eliminate chloramine and chlorine. While chlorine can be eliminated through boiling water or by letting it stand for a few days, neither method will eliminate chloramine. Slim-Line, made by Sprite Industries, is an effective solution to chlorinated water in the shower, which accounts for 50 percent or more of daily chlorine exposure; it doesn't eliminate chloramine.

To eliminate chloramine, you need a high quality granular activated carbon filter or a dechloraminating agent; check with your physician if you're chemically sensitive and think you need to do so. Dialysis patients should also check with their doctors for water treatment instructions; according to the Central Coast Water Authority, they can drink, cook, and bathe in chloraminated water as usual—they just can't bring it into contact with their blood during dialysis itself. The Authority also notes that it's safe to wash a wound with chloraminated water, as little water enters the bloodstream. Fish owners can generally use the same chemicals they use to dechlorinate water; the chemicals should be labeled for chloramine as well as chlorine, so check the package.

Products

Slim-Line showerheads by Sprite Industries remove chlorine but not choramine. Retail outlets are listed at www.spritewater.com ($30 and up).

Multi-Pure Drinking Water units (connected to sink faucet) $225 and up, NSF-certified, 800-622-9206.

For Fish: AmQuel by Novalek Inc. will remove chlormaine. The FDA issued the company an opinion that nothing in it is harmful to humans, pets, and aquatic life.

Resources

EPA's List of Drinking Water Contaminants

EPA pdf document "Chloramines"