Chlorine is one of the many impurities common in water with serious repercussions, so filtering this substance out of the water is vital. Even though chlorine is a popular water impurity, finding a filter that can remove it is not straightforward. While many filters claim to remove chlorine, most are exaggerating their effectiveness.
Chlorine is a chemical element found naturally in its free form but can react with other substances to form compounds. The presence of chlorine in your drinking water is the leading cause Of o several illnesses. ZeroWater filter is a popular countertop unit with impressive efficiency. But does its purification efficiency extend to chlorine?
If you have chlorine in your water, you must ensure any filter you purchase can remove the element. In this guide, we’ll find out if the ZeroWater filter can remove chlorine, but how does chlorine get into your water before then?
How does Chlorine Enter the Water?
Chlorine is a naturally occurring element in its free form in the atmosphere. It’s used extensively in various industries, including herbicides, pesticides, paints, plastics, and bleaching agents in pools. Chlorine from these sources can wash up and enter your water source, thus contaminating the water.
Another source of chlorine in your water is your kitchen. Sodium chloride, a seasoning and flavor enhancer used in cooking, is a compound consisting of chlorine. It can enter your waterways through the sewage system and, over time, increase the chlorine content in your water. Chloride is also commercially produced in large quantities to serve various industries.
It gets even more interesting as water companies add chlorine directly to drinking water in some climes to kill parasites, viruses, and bacteria. Carrying compact countable filters like ZeroWater will ensure you get clean water when vacationing.
Signs Your Water is Over-Chlorinated
While mild chlorine in your water can go undetected without testing, highly concentrated chlorine shows signs you can identify by inspection. To test the water for chlorine, put in a tablet of DBD or liquid chemical OTO. It’ll lead to a color change in the water, with a deeper color indicating a higher chlorine concentration.
However, you may not need any of these unique testing methods, especially when the water is over-chlorinated. A hazy or cloudy look is one of the most obvious signs of high chlorine concentration in water. The water may also have a chlorine smell with yellow or brown discoloration.
Chlorine in water stains your toilet and tubs and makes your hair dull. It can also cause corrosion in your pipes and drainage, releasing room, copper, and lead into the water. You may notice stains on your clothes, with the colors looking faded.
Health Implications of Chlorine in Water
Why should you be interested in using ZeroWater to remove chlorine from your water? Exposure to high chlorine levels can lead to several damaging illnesses. Chlorine reacts readily with other substances in water forming compounds with separate harmful implications. Nevertheless, even as a standalone, this element in water can cause some damaging health issues.
You’ll expose yourself to cancer and cell damage if you take water high in chlorine, with bladder and rectal cancer being the most common types. Remember that low chlorine levels are non-toxic. Its disinfecting properties help keep water healthy for drinking, but when the levels rise above safe levels.
The problem with using chlorine as a cleaner is that it cannot differentiate between good and bad bacteria and kills all the pathogens and bacteria, including helpful elements. Adults have a recommended daily chlorine amount of 3.6 grams. So staying within those limits will not expose you to illnesses.
While chlorine is safe in mild quantities, it can react and form trihalomethanes like chloroform. Aside from the various health implications of chlorine and its compounds in water, it gives the water an unpleasant taste and smell.
Can ZeroWater Filter Remove Chlorine?
The simple answer is Yes. ZeroWater can remove chlorine from your drinking water with excellent efficiency. Its chlorine removal efficiency is 99%, which is as good as possible.
Whether you can taste chlorine, see its hazy form in your water, or have tested using DND test strips, you should get a suitable filter if the levels are above the recommended daily intake. ZeroWater is a powerful filter often touted to remove chlorine. However, instead of taking the manufacturer’s claim, we want to determine if ZeroWater can remove chlorine from water.
ZeroWater’s chlorine removal efficiency is obtained in an NSF test procedure from a 40-gallon filter. The filter’s 5-stage filtration system focuses on different contaminants based on size and form. Chlorine is removed in the third and fourth filtration stages, known as the activated carbon and oxidation reduction alloy and the double ion exchange levels.
The activated carbon layer traps the chlorine’s unpleasant taste and smell, ensuring it leaves drinkable water after filtration. In the ion exchange stage, the water comes in contact with a resin packed with positively charged ions. As it flows through the resin, the ion exchange process occurs, exchanging all the chlorine molecules with the positively charged ions. This process is possible since chlorine is negatively charged.
Alternative Filters that can Remove Chlorine?
ZeroWater features one of the most impressive chlorine removal filters. But if you’re looking for alternatives in place of ZeroWater, here you go:
Reverse osmosis filters are almost as good as ZeroWater in removing chlorine, with a 98% efficiency rating in an NSF test procedure. Typically, the reverse osmosis system should include a carbon block.
The activated carbon filter is another effective chlorine remover. Carbon filters offer an affordable route to chlorine filtration, albeit with reduced effectiveness.
FAQ’s
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about ZeroWater’s chlorine removal. We have a detailed answer to each of these questions.
Does ZeroWater remove all chlorine?
ZeroWater only removes 99.6% of all total dissolved solids in the water, leaving about 0.4%, which may have a tiny amount of chlorine. However, this amount is undoubtedly within the safe daily intake levels. It is too insignificant to affect the water’s taste, odor, or look.
Is it safe to drink water that has had chlorine removed?
Drinking water that has been purified and chlorine removed is entirely safe. The water’s taste improves, and odor is eradicated while protecting you from the illnesses high chlorine intake causes.
What are the benefits of removing chlorine from water?
Removing chlorine from water improves water’s taste, odor, and appeal. It also protects you from dangerous illnesses, which include cancer and cell damage.
How long does ZeroWater filter last?
ZeroWater filter’s lifespan depends on its usage and the amount of impurities it has to remove. ZeroWater should average up to 40 gallons of filtered water before it requires replacement.
Conclusion
Chlorine can enter your water through the sewage system and runoff from farmlands where herbicides are washed, among other numerous sources. High amounts of chlorine in water make the water unpleasant and expose you to illnesses like bladder and rectal cancer. It’s essential to remove chlorine using an efficient filter like ZeroWater.
ZeroWater sports an efficiency level of 99%, with other filters like activated carbon and reverse osmosis also featuring good effectiveness.