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SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR

ADDITIVES / TREATMENTS for SEPTIC SYSTEMS
AEROBIC SEPTIC SYSTEMS
ALTERNATING BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS

BACKUP PREVENTION, SEWER LINE
BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS
BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS in the HOME - EPA
BOOKS, RECOMMENDED SEPTIC
BOOKSTORE, SEPTIC SYSTEMS

CESSPOOLS
CESSPOOL SAFETY WARNINGS
CHECK VALVES
CHEMICALS & TREATMENTS for SEPTICS
CHLORAMINE / CHLORINE Tests
CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER
CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER
CISTERNS

D BOX TROUBLESHOOTING
DEFINITIONS OF SEPTIC SYSTEM TERMS
DIFFICULT SEPTIC SITES
DISTRIBUTION-BOX INSPECTION, SEPTIC
DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS
DRINKING WATER TESTING
DRINKING WATER - EMERGENCY PURIFICATION
DRIVING or PARKING OVER SEPTIC
DRYWELL DESIGN & USES

FILTERS SEPTIC & GREYWATER
FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
FLOODED SEPTIC SYSTEMS, REPAIR

GARBAGE DISPOSAL vs SEPTICS
GRAVELLESS SEPTIC SYSTEMS
GRAVITY/SIPHON DOSING SYSTEMS
GREYWATER SYSTEMS

HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS
HOME SELLERS GUIDE TO SEPTIC INSPECT

LAGOON SEPTIC SYSTEMS
LEACHFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS

MEDIA FILTER SEPTIC SYSTEMS
MOUND SEPTIC SYSTEMS

NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE

ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE
ODOR DIAGNOSIS CHECKLIST
ODORLESS CHEMICALS / GASES: CHECK FOR?
ODORS, PLUMBING SYSTEM
ODORS, SEPTIC or SEWER
ODORS, SULPHUR SMELL SOURCES

OUTHOUSES & LATRINES

PLANTS & TREES OVER SEPTIC SYSTEMS
PRESSURE DOSING SEPTIC SYSTEMS

RAISED BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS

SAND BED SEPTIC SYSTEMS
SEEPAGE PITS

SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY
SEPTIC SYSTEM ARTICLES
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES

SEPTIC BACKUP PREVENTION
SEPTIC BACKUP REPAIR
SEPTIC BOOK, ONLINE
SEPTIC BOOKSTORE
SEPTIC BIOMATS

SEPTIC CARE INSTRUCTIONS
SEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCES
SEPTIC CODES & REFERENCES
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS

SEPTIC D-BOX INSPECTION

SEPTIC DRAINFIELD FAILURE DIAGNOSIS
SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST
SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LIFE
SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LOCATION
SEPTIC DRAINFIELD RESTORERS?
SEPTIC DRAWINGS

SEPTIC DYE TEST PROCEDURE

SEPTIC FAILURE LAWSUIT
SEPTIC FAILURE SIGNS
SEPTIC FIELD INSPECTION
SEPTIC FILTERS
SEPTIC FLOOD RESPONSE

SEPTIC INSPECTION BOOK
SEPTIC INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE
SEPTIC LIFE EXPECTANCY
SEPTIC LIFE MAXIMIZING STEPS

SEPTIC METHANE GAS
SEPTIC ODORS

SEPTIC PUMPS
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR

SEPTIC REFERENCES

SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY
SEPTIC SUPPLIES & PARTS
SEPTIC SYSTEM DEFINITIONS

SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN MANUAL - Online

SEPTIC DYE TEST PROCEDURE

SEPTIC FAILURE LAWSUIT
SEPTIC FAILURE SIGNS
SEPTIC FIELD INSPECTION
SEPTIC FILTERS
SEPTIC FLOOD RESPONSE

SEPTIC INSPECTION BOOK
SEPTIC INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE
SEPTIC LIFE EXPECTANCY
SEPTIC LIFE MAXIMIZING STEPS

SEPTIC METHANE GAS
SEPTIC ODORS

SEPTIC PUMPS
SEPTIC PUMPING REPAIR

SEPTIC REFERENCES

SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY
SEPTIC SUPPLIES & PARTS

SEPTIC SYSTEMS, HOME BUYERS GUIDE to

SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE
SEPTIC SYSTEMS INSPECTION COURSE

SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC SYSTEM ODORS
SEPTIC SYSTEM SAFETY WARNINGS
SEPTIC SYSTEM TYPES, MASTER LIST

SEPTIC TANKS
SEPTIC TANK BAFFLES
SEPTIC TANK COVERS
SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND
SEPTIC TANK GRASS or SNOWMELT
SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE
SEPTIC TANK LEAKS
SEPTIC TANK LEVELS of SEWAGE

SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE
SEPTIC TANK SAFETY
SEPTIC TANK SIZE
SEPTIC TANK TEES
SEPTIC TESTS: DYE & LOADING TESTS
SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS

SEWAGE & SEPTIC CONTAMINANTS
SEWAGE BACKUP, WHAT TO DO
SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP
SEWAGE BACKUP PREVENTION
SEWAGE CONTAMINATION in buildings
SEWAGE CONTAMINANTS in FRUIT / VEGETABLES
SEWAGE EJECTOR / GRINDER PUMPS
SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS
SEWAGE NITROGEN CONTAMINANTS
SEWAGE PATHOGENS in SEPTIC SLUDGE
SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS
SEWAGE NITROGEN CONTAMINANTS
SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP
SEWAGE & SEPTIC CONTAMINANTS
SEWAGE CONTAMINATION in buildings
SEWAGE CONTAMINANTS in FRUIT / VEGETABLES
SEWAGE EJECTOR / GRINDER PUMPS
SEWAGE LEVELS in SEPTIC TANKS
SEWAGE NITROGEN CONTAMINANTS
SEWAGE PATHOGENS in SEPTIC SLUDGE
SEWAGE PUMPS

SEWER BACKUP PREVENTION
SEWER GAS ODORS
SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT

SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS
SMELL PATCH TEST to Track Down Odors
SOAKAWAY BED FAILURE DIAGNOSIS
SULPHUR & SEWER GAS SMELL SOURCES
SUMP PUMPS

TOILETS, INSPECT, INSTALL, REPAIR
TOILET ALTERNATIVES
TOILET FLUSHOMETER VALVES
TOILET INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
TOILET OVERFLOW EMERGENCY
TOILET PLUGS, SEWER BACKUP
TOILET REPAIR GUIDE
TOILET TYPES
Toilet Types, Flush Methods
TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST
TRAPS on PLUMBING FIXTURES
TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS, SEPTIC

VIDEO GUIDES: Septic Videos
WASHING MACHINES & SEPTIC SYSTEMS

WASTEWATER TREATMENT BASICS

WATER, WELLS, WATER TANKS: TESTING GUIDE
WATER PURIFIERS

WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT
WATER QUANTITY USAGE GUIDE

WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS
WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING

WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES

WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS
WELL CLEARANCES

WETLAND SEPTIC SYSTEMS

WINTERIZE A BUILDING

More Information

Photo of a water chlorinatorHazards of Chlorine in Drinking Water:
Carcinogens & cancer risk?
Septic Tank Damage?
InspectAPedia®  -         

  • What are the health hazards from chlorinated drinking water?
  • What are the effects of a water chlorinator on the septic system tank and drainfields?
  • Does a drinking water treatment or purification system harm the septic tank or drainfield?
  • Effects of reverse osmosis or RO systems on septic systems
  • Questions & answers about the effects of chlorine in drinking water and the effects of chlorine or bleach on on septic tanks and septic drainfields

At what level and under what conditions is chlorine in drinking water a health hazard or a possible cancer hazard? Does chlorinated drinking water harm the septic tank? This article answers questions about the harmfulness of chlorinated drinking water being discharged into the septic system.

InspectAPedia offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/Contact.htm.

Is my chlorinator or chlorinated water going into a private septic system likely to harm the septic tank or drainfield? Do some septic systems require chlorine or other disinfectants? Will chlorine, bleach, or Clorox™ damage the septic tank or leach fields? This document explains how to extend the life of the septic system by being careful about what goes into it.

Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical review, content suggestions, critique are welcomed and are listed at "References." This article is part of our series: Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems an online book on septic systems.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER - Health Concerns, Remedies, Alternatives

Possible health risks from chlorinated drinking water

Water treated with chlorine for the purposes of disinfection may have handled a bacterial contamination worry but the chlorinated drinking water may still involve other health risks. [1]

  • Disinfecting water to kill microorganisms will not remove chemical contaminants that may also be present.
  • Trihalomethanes are possible carcinogens (cancer causing agents) that form in water when chlorine in the water reacts with certain organic chemicals that may also be present.

    For example, chloroform, produced in the water supply by some water treatment processes is found at actionable levels in water supplies in many areas of North America as well as other areas of the world. Other potentially toxic chemicals widely found in water sources include products from agricultural runoff including fertilizers and pesticides.

How to remove chlorine from drinking water

Traditional methods to remove excess chlorine from drinking water use activated charcoal filtering. Because chlorine is volatile, you will also find that leaving water in an open pitcher or container will result in the dissipation of chlorine from that water quantity.

CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER - Water Chlorinators and Septic Systems

Details about the effects of chlorine in septic systems, tanks, and drainfields are provided at CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER. Excerpts are below.

Using a chlorinator on well water: At homes where the water supply is not potable due to bacterial contamination, a common temporary solution is the installation of a chlorinator.

Often this consists of an injector which doses incoming water with chlorine, a holding tank to give the chlorine time to work, and a post-processing charcoal filter to remove the chlorine from the water. It's preferable to find and correct the source of contamination.

LARGER VIEW of
a home photo lab - lots of photo chemicals into the septic system might be a problem at this propertyIn a properly-operating chlorinator the level of chlorine in the house drinking water will not harm the septic system.

High levels of chlorine, such as from an improperly adjusted or malfunctioning chlorinator would be a problem for the occupants who would not want to be drinking such water, and might be a problem for the septic system too.

It's easy to test for the level of chlorine in water - there are several inexpensive test kits suitable for homeowner use. For some suggestions on how to test the level of chlorine in drinking water see How to Test the Water Supply or Septic Effluent for Evidence of Chlorine (part of our article on cheating on water tests)

 


Photo of a UV light water sterilizer - ughUV (ultra violet) lights [photo] which are sold to treat bacterial contamination in water do not place any chemical into the water supply.

However if drinking water is contaminated with bacteria, a UV light is a not necessarily the best solution as other drinking water contaminants may be present too.

For a discussion of what happens when people dump chlorine into a well see

  • Drinking Water Testing Advice - Cheating on Water Bacteria Tests
  • When and How to Shock or Chlorinate a Well

For a discussion of the effects of other water purification

 

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Questions & answers about the effects of chlorine in drinking water and the effects of chlorine or bleach on on septic tanks and septic drainfields

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

DRINKING WATER - EMERGENCY PURIFICATION
  How to Purify Water
  BLEACH DISINFECTANT for Drinking Water
  BOILING WATER for Drinking
  CERAMIC FILTERS & Water Purification
  CHLORINE DISINFECTANT for Drinking Water
  COLLOIDAL SILVER Water Purification
  DISINFECTANT Quantity to Use in Water
  Disinfectant Wait Time & Water Temperature
  FILTERS for Drinking Water Purification
  GIARDIA in Drinking Water
  HYDROGEN PEROXIDE for Water Disinfection
  IODINE Tablets or Iodine Disinfectant
  SOLAR WATER DISINFECTION
  UV WATER DISINFECTION, PORTABLE
  VEGETABLE DISINFECTION WASHES
  VINEGAR & Other Disinfectants
DRINKING WATER - EMERGENCY SOURCES

WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES
  WATER FILTERS
  FILTERS - SEDIMENT & IRON
  FILTERS - SULPHUR ODOR
  CHLORAMINE DISINFECTANTS
  CHLORINATORS & CHARCOAL FILTERS
  REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER TREATMENT
  REVERSE OSMOSIS CONCENTRATE DISPOSAL
  UV -ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT TREATMENT
  SOLAR WATER DISINFECTION
  WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS
  WATER TREATMENT CHEMICAL SAFETY

  • "Bacteria in Drinking Water" - "Chlorine," Karen Mancl, water quality specialist, Agricultural Engineering, Ohio State University Extension. Mancl explains factors affecting the effectiveness of chlorine in water as a means to destroy bacteria and other microorganisms. OSU reports as follows:

    Chlorine kills bacteria, including disease-causing organisms and the nuisance organism, iron bacteria. However, low levels of chlorine, normally used to disinfect water, are not an effective treatment for giardia cysts. A chlorine level of over 10 mg/1 must be maintained for at least 30 minutes to kill giardia cysts. -- http://ohioline.osu.edu/b795/index.html is the front page of this bulletin.

  • [1] Preliminary Assessment of Suspected Carcinogens in Drinking Water, Interim Report to Congress, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1975, web search 10/06/2011, original source: U.S. EPA http://nepis.epa.gov
  • CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER - Does Chlorine in Drinking Water Harm the Septic Tank? - Septic Tank Cleaning Advice
  • CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER - Septic Tank Maintenance: Chlorine in Septic Systems - Septic Tank Maintenance Advice
  • Ohio State University article on the concentration of chlorine necessary to act as an effective disinfectant, and the effects of the water's pH and temperature: See http://ohioline.osu.edu/b795/b795_7.html for details.
  • Drinking Water testing, contamination, correction - all topics
  • Drinking Water Testing Advice for home buyers home owners home inspectors
  • Choices of Water Tests & Fees: A Summary of Types of Water Tests, Degrees of Comprehensive Water Testing, Details of Water Test Parameters
  • Cheating on water tests: Testing Water for Real Estate Transactions - make sure your water test is valid
  • Drinking Water Contamination and Pollution How to Detect, Test, Correct, and Prevent Well Water Contamination - US EPA - Groundwater
  • Interpreting Drinking Water Test Results what the results mean and what to do about them
  • Correcting Unsatisfactory Water what to do, when to do it, treatment alternatives, equipment, filters, etc.
  • Water Treatment for Contamination, Hardness, Odors, Sediment, Etc: choices of systems, recommendations
  • Drinking Water Contaminant Levels - Maximum Allowed
  • How to Reduce Lead Contamination in Drinking Water: how to test & correction lead in drinking water
  • Lead Contamination from Water Supply Lines/Entry Mains, Lead Testing & Correcting Contamination from - Lead Pipe Problems/Advice
  • Extreme Lead Poisoning Symptoms Suggested by Feb 2006 NY Times Article on Kosovo Roma Camps
  • When and How to Shock or Chlorinate a Well - Procedure for Shocking a Well to (temporarily or maybe longer) "Correct" Bacterial Contamination
  • Water Requirements, Home & Outdoor Living
  • Water Supply & Drain Piping, Wells, Pumps, Water Supply Equipment

Water Supply & Drain Piping, Wells, Pumps, Water Supply Equipment

  • NewWater pressure tanks - how to diagnose the need for air, how to add air, stop water pump short cycling to avoid damage - water storage water pressure tank safety.
  • NewDiagnosing Clogged Drains: Is it a blocked drain or the septic system? - A First Step for Homeowners
  • Water Requirements, Home & Outdoor Living
  • Drinking Water Contamination, Testing, Well Sanitation, Water Tests
  • Drinking Water Supply, Contamination Levels, Water Testing Procedures
  • Water Supply & Drain Piping, Wells, Pumps, Water Supply Equipment

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

  • Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
    • Home Reference Book - Carson Dunlop The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop, and from the InspectAPedia bookstore. The 2010 edition of the Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.
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