Would You Drink Your Pool’s Water?

Chlorine is used to kill germs and keep our water safe, right?

For tap water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that chlorine levels up to 4 parts per million (ppm), are safe to drink, and most cities aim to keep chlorine levels between 1.0 and 4.0ppm to ensure safety and taste.

OK, so maybe you are thinking: Good! I don’t want to drink bacteria or germs! But now consider this: 4ppm is MORE than what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends for pools or even hot tubs. CDC recommended chlorine levels for pools and hot tubs are between 1.0 and 3.0 ppm.

The city tap water you drink can have more chlorine than your neighbor’s pool. Gross, right? 

And if you can actually smell the chlorine in water, it’s even worse. The strong “chlorine smell” most people notice (like at a public swimming pool) isn’t actually from the chlorine itself. It’s from chemicals called chloramines that form when chlorine mixes with organic matter like sweat, skin cells, pee, dirt, or…you know.

Chlorine? Yup, we’ve got that covered.