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 Hazards of Chlorine in Drinking Water:
Carcinogens & cancer risk?
Septic Tank Damage?
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InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
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.
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.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
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. |
 In 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)
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 UV (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
For a discussion of the effects of other water purification
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- "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
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- 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
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- 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
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- Water Supply & Drain Piping, Wells, Pumps, Water Supply Equipment
Water Supply & Drain Piping, Wells, Pumps, Water Supply Equipment
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Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, 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. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
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