Chloramine is a compound formed by the reaction of chlorine and ammonia. Chlorine is a toxic gas. Ammonia is another pungent, toxic gas with a sharp odor. Put the two together in a solid form, and you’ve got chloramine.
So, why are two really toxic and pungent gasses in the form of chloramine added to our drinking water? Because it helps to control the growth of microorganisms in the pipes and maintain water quality as it travels from the treatment plant to your tap. It’s also used as an alternative to chlorine to reduce the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs), which are compounds that can form when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water.
Finally, chloramine is used to control nitrification, a biological process that can occur in water distribution systems when ammonia in the water is converted to nitrate by bacteria. Nitrification can lead to increased nitrate levels in the drinking water, which can pose health risks, and chloramine can help to prevent this process. So, chloramine keeps stuff from growing in our water, reduces nitrites, and helps prevent chlorine from reacting with organic material and forming hazardous DBPs.
Chloramine enters our drinking water when water treatment plants first add chlorine to disinfect it, then add ammonia to convert the chlorine to chloramine. Chloramine is a more stable disinfectant than chlorine and lasts longer in the water distribution system, helping to maintain the disinfectant residual in the water supply. In other words, chloramine is cost-effective. Anything to save a dollar!
Chloramine can also enter drinking water through the corrosion of metal pipes and plumbing fixtures that contain lead or copper. Over time, chloramine can react with the metal in these pipes and fixtures, leading to lead and copper leaching into the water supply.
Heavy metals, like lead and copper, are hazardous to our health. So, you can already see that using chloramine creates a health risk. Another health risk associated with chloramine is its potential to form harmful byproducts when it reacts with organic matter in the water, such as natural organic matter, disinfection byproducts, and pharmaceuticals. These byproducts may increase the risk of cancer, respiratory problems, and other health issues.
Yes, average Americans have gotten sick from chloramine in their tap water, and there have been several cases of individuals and communities suing water utilities.
For example, in 2017, a group of residents in New Castle County, Delaware, filed a lawsuit against the local water utility, which alleged that the water utility had failed to adequately monitor and control the levels of chloramine and its byproducts in the water supply, leading to increased health risks for residents.
In another case, residents of Robbins, Illinois, filed a lawsuit against the Village of Robbins and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in 2020, claiming that they had suffered health problems due to high chloramine levels and other contaminants in the drinking water. The lawsuit alleged that the water utility had been using an inadequate treatment process that resulted in high chloramine levels and other harmful byproducts in the water.
The Mid-Atlantic region, including areas of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C.
The Pacific Northwest, including areas of Oregon and Washington.
The Midwest, including areas of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.
Some areas of the Northeast, including parts of New York and Pennsylvania.
If you live in any of these areas, you should be particularly concerned about chloramine in your drinking water. Be sure to protect yourself and your family with a multi-stage water filter, like what you find in our premium alkaline water ionizers.
