Understanding Chemicals in Treated Water




In order to improve the safety and health benefits of water in your community, your water utility may add chemicals to the water supply. Chemical water treatments such as chlorination are commonly used to remove bacteria, mold, algae, unpleasant odors and tastes, and other chemicals like fluoride may be added because of their public health benefits.

It is very common for water utility customers to have questions or concerns about the chemicals added to their water supply. If you have found that community members are concerned or unsure why chemicals are being added to your water, consider utilizing the materials in the following sections to answer common questions about water treatment. The customer service representative or manager at your local utility may also be able to answer questions about chemical treatments in your community’s water. 

​Drinking water sources are vulnerable to contamination and must be treated to kill water-borne diseases and other harmful substances. Adding chlorine to the water supply is the most common form of water treatment in the United States, as it is a relatively cost-effective disinfection method, and the treatment continues to work while water travels to reach customers.

Studies show that using or drinking water with small amounts of chlorine does not cause harmful health effects and protects against waterborne diseases such as giardia and cholera. Your local water utility regularly monitors your water supply to make sure that chlorine levels are safe for public consumption. You can read more about how your water utility is managing water disinfection, as well as their compliance with disinfection rules, by obtaining a copy of their Consumer Confidence Report.

Adding chlorine to water may change its taste or smell, and you may find that you prefer chlorinated water to untreated water. However, if the taste or smell of chlorine is unpleasant to you, letting your water sit in the refrigerator overnight in an open container will allow some forms of the chlorine to evaporate and remove the offending taste and odor. Boiling your water for 20 minutes or running your water through a filter can also remove most of the added chlorine.

See the CDC Chlorine Information Page for a quick summary of the benefits and common concerns regarding water chlorination. For a more in-depth explanation of water chlorination, check out the Chlorine Chemistry Council’s Drinking Water Chlorination: A Review of Disinfection Practices and Issues [PDF].

Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral found in soil, water, and air. Fluoride has been shown to prevent tooth decay by strengthening the surface of teeth, which can be eaten away when sugary foods are ingested. In addition to preventing cavities, to a certain extent fluoride can even rebuild the surface of teeth that have already been damaged. All water naturally contains fluoride, although rarely enough to prevent tooth decay. For this reason, it is common for water utilities to supplement the water supply with additional fluoride.

Very few adverse health effects have been linked to community water fluoridation. Fluoride levels in community water supplies are closely monitored by water utilities, and fluoridation is completely safe at regulatory levels. A minor condition called fluorosis, which causes faint white marks on the teeth, is the most common side effect of overexposure to fluoride. It is harmless and primarily caused by using too much toothpaste, not by drinking fluoridated water. Fluoridation has also been shown to save money in communities by decreasing the rate of cavity treatments, as well as reducing the number of work or school days missed due to dental complaints.

If you or another community member has additional questions or concerns about fluoridation, check out I Like My Teeth’s “Common Questions About Community Water Fluoridation” 

If you have questions about water fluoridation in your community please contact waterfluoridation@anthc.org

For more information on water fluoridation, visit ilikemyteeth.org

In the section on Promoting Connection to Local Water you’ll find resources for a variety of of activities and approaches to outreach that will help you to engage the community and get your message out. Many of the activities can easily be adapted to create an avenue through which to talk with your community about their concerns about chemicals in the treated water.