Boil Water Notice FAQs

Q1- Why was a boil water notice issued for my water?  

The City of Asheville Water Resources Department is issuing a Boil Water Notice due to a loss of pressure in distribution system pipes and levels of turbidity (particles) in the water.                                                                                                                                   

A Boil Water Notice means there is contamination due to impacts from Hurricane Helene including the potential for untreated water in the distribution system from pipe breaks and levels of turbidity that exceed Safe Drinking Water Act standards initially used to restore water pressure. Your water may look cloudy and/or have a chlorine odor.

Q2 - How long will the need to boil water continue?

Public notification will be given when the boil water notice is lifted.  How long depends on the conditions that caused the need to boil, how quickly the conditions can be corrected, and how long it takes for laboratory results to confirm that your water is again ready to drink.

Q3 - How do I boil my water so that it is safe to drink?

Bottled water is recommended for consumption. Water Resources is encouraging residents who are boiling water for consumption to follow these steps daily:

• Run the water from the faucet you’re using to gather water for boiling for 30 seconds to two minutes, or when you can feel a temperature change in the water.
• According to guidance from the EPA, flushing is a short-term solution that can be used to reduce potential lead and copper presence in drinking water.
• Depending on pipe materials, lead and copper may be found in water that has sat undisturbed in household plumbing for 4-6 hours.
• This is especially true for plumbing installed before 1988.

Q4 - Does my in-home water treatment system provide enough protection?

No! The City of Asheville Water Resources Department does not encourage residents to rely on home treatment units. For consumption, it is recommended that you use bottled water. Most in-home treatment devices are not designed to remove pathogens, and should not be relied on to protect you during a boil water event. Even treatment units that are designed to remove pathogens may not do so all the time unless they have been properly maintained. Common home treatment devices that have limited or no ability to remove pathogens include: carbon filters; water softeners and other ion exchange units; sediment filters; chlorine removers; and aerators.

Q5 - What if I have a reverse osmosis treatment unit on my faucet or house?

A properly operating reverse osmosis (RO) unit can remove pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and protozoa. However there are many units available to the public through hardware stores and elsewhere, not all of which can be relied upon to remove pathogens. Furthermore, RO units must be diligently maintained to assure effective treatment.

Q6 - What if I have a water pitcher/dispenser with a filter?

Most of these units are not capable of removing pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. The few that are designed to do so, may still require disinfection to address viruses and must be properly operated and diligently maintained to ensure effective treatment. It is recommended that you use boiled (and then cooled) water or an alternate source such as bottled water.

Q7 - Are there any other ways to disinfect my water so that it is safe to drink?

Bottled water is the most reliable means to ensure safe potable water during a boil water event and should always be your first choice. However, in extended emergencies such as an area wide power outage, potable water that needs no further treatment may be supplied by your water utility or local emergency response agency from a tanker truck or a water trailer called a water "buffalo."

Chemical disinfection is limited in effectiveness and is not appropriate for very turbid (muddy) water, or where raw sewage or other fecal matter may be present.

Q8 - What is an acceptable alternate source for safe drinking water?

Acceptable alternate sources for drinking water include:

Bottled water

Water from another public water supply (one that is not under the boil water notice)

Water from a certified bulk water hauler

Water from a water tanker or water "buffalo" that is provided by your water utility or by emergency response agencies.

Roadside springs are not a sure source of safe drinking water. They are seldom monitored, and no one is in charge of keeping them safe. If you must use roadside spring water for drinking or food preparation, we recommend that you boil (and then cool) it before use.

Q9 - Can I use my water for cooking?

No, any water used for food preparation or cooking needs to be bottled, from an acceptable alternate source or boiled first after following the sink-flushing protocol.

Q10 - What if I am boiling my water as part of the cooking process?

It is more protective to use bottled water or to boil the water first after following the sink-flushing protocol, to prevent the potential for inadequate heating. The cooking process should bring the water to a full rolling boil for at least one minute before adding the food item (for example, making pasta). If the water will be at a slight boil for a long time, then this will also be protective. For example, you may be cooking beans or boiling chicken for 10 - 20 minutes.

Q11 - How should I wash fruit and vegetables and make ice?

Fruits, vegetables, and any other foods that will not be cooked should be washed and rinsed with boiled (and then cooled) water or water from an acceptable alternate source. Similarly, ice should be made with bottled water, water from an acceptable alternate source or with boiled water, after flushing the sink-flushing protocol.

Q12 - Can I use my water for making baby formula or drinks?

No. Any water used for baby food, formula, or making beverages must be bottled or from an acceptable alternate source.

Q13 - Is potentially contaminated water safe for washing dishes?

Hand-washed dishes: No! Use boiled (then cooled) water, water from an alternate source, or after washing with dish detergent rinse for a minute in a dilute bleach (1 tablespoon of unscented bleach per gallon of water). Allow dishes, cutlery, cups, etc. to completely air dry before use.

Home dishwasher: Yes, if the hot wash is at least 170 Degrees F and includes a full dry cycle. However, most home dishwashers do not reach this temperature. If you are uncertain of the temperature of your dishwasher, rinse in dilute bleach and completely air dry as described for hand washed dishes.

Commercial dishwasher (when used in a non-regulated facility): Yes, if it is a NSF listed washer and manufactured and operated with a heat sanitizing rinse set at 170 Degrees F that lasts for at least 30 seconds. Regulated facilities should refer to their regulatory agency for additional guidance. For example, food service establishments regulated by the health department should refer to the Boil Water Notice guidance. Licensed facilities should reach out to their licensing agency.

CAUTION - "Green" or "Environmentally Friendly" dishwasher additives, which may be advertised as a disinfectant or anti-microbial, are weaker disinfectants and should not be relied on alone to eliminate potential pathogens.

Q14 - Is potentially contaminated water safe for washing clothes?

Yes, unless a "Do Not Use" notification has been issued, it is safe to wash clothes in tap water as long as the clothes are completely dried before being worn. However, increased turbidity that sometimes occurs during a boil water event may discolor clothing, especially whites.

Q15 - Can I brush my teeth with the water without boiling it?

No! Any water you ingest or place in your mouth should be disinfected by boiling (and then cooled) or come from an alternate source. Bottled water is excellent for brushing your teeth.

Q16 - Is potentially contaminated water safe for bathing and shaving?

Unless a "Do Not Use" notification has been issued, your water may be used by healthy individuals for showering, bathing, shaving, and washing as long as care is taken not to swallow water and avoid shaving nicks.

To minimize the chance of infections, people with open wounds, cuts, blisters or recent surgical wounds and people who are immunocompromised or suffer from chronic illness should use boiled water (then cooled) or water from an alternate source. Children and disabled individuals should be supervised to ensure water is not ingested. Sponge bathing is advisable, and bathing time should be minimized to further reduce the potential for ingestion.

Q17 - How should I wash my hands during a boil water notice?

Generally, vigorous hand washing with soap and your tap water is safe for basic personal hygiene. If you are washing your hands to prepare food, you should use boiled (then cooled) water, bottled water, or water from another acceptable source for hand washing.

If a "Do Not Use" notification has been issued (as example, when sewage or chemical contamination is present), your water should not be used for any purpose, including personal hygiene. Only water from an acceptable alternate source should be used instead.

Q18 - Should I use hand sanitizing lotion or wipes?

Hand sanitizing wipes alone are not enough, especially to clean your hands for making food. Alcohol based sanitizers work against some common germs (like E. coli, and Salmonella) but may not be effective for cryptosporidium and bacterium spores.

Q19 - Is the water safe to give to my pet?

To be certain, give them bottled water or water that has been boiled (following the sink-flushing protocol) then cooled or water from an acceptable alternate source. Many pets regularly drink some pretty bad water, but pets come in a wide variety with variable resistances to pathogens. Many pets are vulnerable to the same diseases that humans can get from contaminated water and can spread these diseases into the environment or pass them on to their owners. More specific information may be available from your veterinarian, based on the actual animal and conditions for the boil water notice.

Q20 - Does a boil water notice affect how I can use my toilets?

There is no need to disinfect water used for flushing. Unless a "Do Not Use" notice was issued, or a water conservation notice was issued along with the boil water notice, there is no restriction or concern about using your toilet.

After the Boil Water Notice Is Lifted

Flush household pipes/faucets first: To flush your plumbing, remove aerators on faucets, run all your cold water faucets on full for at least 5 minutes each. If multiple floors in home, turn on faucets on lowest level and work your way to the top floor. If your service connection is long or complex (like in an apartment building) consider flushing for a longer period. Your building superintendent or landlord should be able to advise you on longer flushing times.

Automatic ice makers: Dump existing ice and flush the water feed lines by making and discarding three batches of ice cubes. Wipe down the ice bin with a disinfectant. If your water feed line to the machine is longer than 20 feet, increase to five batches.

Hot water heaters, water coolers, in line filters, and other appliances with direct water connections or water tanks: Run enough water to completely replace at least one full volume of all lines and tanks. If your filters are near the end of their life, replace them.

Water softeners: Run through a regeneration cycle.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) units: Replace pre-filters, check owner's manual.

Replace other water filters, as they are disposable and may be contaminated. This applies especially to carbon filters and others that are near the end of their life.

Clean Aerators: remove all aerators from faucets and soak in bleach.

Showers: Flush for five minutes with a mix of hot and cold water.

Toilets: Flush and clean each toilet.

Dishwashers: If your machine has a sanitize cycle, run one cycle.

Outdoor Spigots: Flush for five minutes but disconnect the hose first.

Refrigerator Water Dispenser: Flush for five minutes or at least one quart of water.

Water Testing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Aluminum

What is aluminum?

Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust. It is always found combined with other elements such as oxygen, silicon, and fluorine. Aluminum as the metal is obtained from aluminum-containing minerals. Small amounts of aluminum can be found dissolved in water.

Aluminum metal is light in weight and silvery-white in appearance. Aluminum is used for beverage cans, pots and pans, airplanes, siding and roofing, and foil. Aluminum is often mixed with small amounts of other metals to form aluminum alloys, which are stronger and harder.

Aluminum compounds have many different uses, for example, as alums in water-treatment and alumina in abrasives and furnace linings. They are also found in consumer products such as antacids, astringents, buffered aspirin, food additives, cosmetics, and antiperspirants.

What happens to aluminum when it enters the environment?

• Aluminum cannot be destroyed in the environment, it can only change its form.
• In the air, aluminum binds to small particles, which can stay suspended for many days.
• Under most conditions, a small amount of aluminum will dissolve in lakes, streams, and rivers.
• It can be taken up by some plants from soil.
• Aluminum is not accumulated to a significant extent in most plants or animals.

How might I be exposed to aluminum?

• Virtually all food, water, air, and soil contain some aluminum.
• The average adult in the U.S. eats about 7-9 mg aluminum per day in their food.
• Breathing higher levels of aluminum dust in workplace air.
• Living in areas where the air is dusty, where aluminum is mined or processed into aluminum metal, near certain hazardous waste sites, or where aluminum is naturally high.
• Eating substances containing high levels of aluminum (such as antacids) especially when eating or drinking citrus products at the same time.
• Children and adults may be exposed to small amounts of aluminum from vaccinations.
• Very little enters your body from aluminum cooking utensils.

How can aluminum affect my health?

Only very small amounts of aluminum that you may inhale, ingest, or have skin contact with will enter the bloodstream.

Exposure to aluminum is usually not harmful, but exposure to high levels can affect your health. Workers who breathe large amounts of aluminum dusts can have lung problems, such as coughing or abnormal chest X-rays. Some workers who breathe aluminum dusts or aluminum fumes have decreased performance in some tests that measure functions of the nervous system.

Some people with kidney disease store a lot of aluminum in their bodies and sometimes develop bone or brain diseases which may be caused by the excess aluminum. Some studies show that people exposed to high levels of aluminum may develop Alzheimer's disease, but other studies have not found this to be true. We do not know for certain whether aluminum causes Alzheimer's disease.

Studies in animals show that the nervous system is a sensitive target of aluminum toxicity. Obvious signs of damage were not seen in animals after high oral doses of aluminum. However, the animals did not perform as well in tests that measured the strength of their grip or how much they moved around.

We do not know if aluminum will affect reproduction in people. Aluminum does not appear to affect fertility in animals.

How likely is aluminum to cause cancer?

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the EPA have not evaluated the carcinogenic potential of aluminum in humans. Aluminum has not been shown to cause cancer in animals.

How can aluminum affect children?

Children with kidney problems who were given aluminum in their medical treatments developed bone diseases. It does not appear that children are more sensitive to aluminum than adults.

We do not know if aluminum will cause birth defects in people. Birth defects have not been seen in animals. Aluminum in large amounts has been shown to be harmful to unborn and developing animals because it can cause delays in skeletal and neurological development.

Aluminum is found in breast milk, but only a small amount of this aluminum will enter the infant's body through breastfeeding.

How can families reduce the risks of exposure to aluminum?

• Since aluminum is so common and widespread in the environment, families cannot avoid exposure to aluminum.
• Avoid taking large quantities of aluminum-containing antacids and buffered aspirin and take these medications as directed.
• Make sure all medications have child-proof caps so children will not accidentally eat them.

Is there a medical test to determine whether I've been exposed to aluminum?

All people have small amounts of aluminum in their bodies. Aluminum can be measured in blood, bones, feces, or urine. Urine and blood aluminum measurements can tell you whether you have been exposed to larger-than-normal amounts of aluminum. Measuring bone aluminum can also indicate exposure to high levels, but this requires a bone biopsy.

Manganese

What is manganese?

Manganese is a naturally occurring metal that is found in many types of rocks. Pure manganese is silver-colored, but does not occur naturally. It combines with other substances such as oxygen, sulfur, or chlorine. Manganese occurs naturally in most foods and may be added to some foods.

Manganese is used principally in steel production to improve hardness, stiffness, and strength. It may also be used as an additive in gasoline to improve the octane rating of the gas.

What happens to manganese when it enters the environment?

• Manganese can be released to the air, soil, and water from the manufacture, use, and disposal of manganese-based products.
• Manganese cannot break down in the environment. It can only change its form or become attached to or separated from particles.
• In water, manganese tends to attach to particles in the water or settle into the sediment.
• The chemical state of manganese and the type of soil determine how fast it moves through the soil and how much is retained in the soil.
• The manganese-containing gasoline additive may degrade in the environment quickly when exposed to sunlight, releasing manganese.

How might I be exposed to manganese?

• The primary way you can be exposed to manganese is by eating food or manganese-containing nutritional supplements. Vegetarians, who consume foods rich in manganese such as grains, beans and nuts, as well as heavy tea drinkers, may have a higher intake of manganese than the average person.
• Certain occupations like welding or working in a factory where steel is made may increase your chances of being exposed to high levels of manganese.
• Manganese is routinely contained in groundwater, drinking water, and soil at low levels. Drinking water containing manganese or swimming or bathing in water containing manganese may expose you to low levels of this chemical.

How can manganese affect my health?

Manganese is an essential nutrient, and eating a small amount of it each day is important to stay healthy.

The most common health problems in workers exposed to high levels of manganese involve the nervous system. These health effects include behavioral changes and other nervous system effects, which include movements that may become slow and clumsy. This combination of symptoms when sufficiently severe is referred to as “manganism”. Other less severe nervous system effects such as slowed hand movements have been observed in some workers exposed to lower concentrations in the work place.

Exposure to high levels of manganese in air can cause lung irritation and reproductive effects.

Nervous system and reproductive effects have been observed in animals after high oral doses of manganese.

How likely is manganese to cause cancer?

The EPA concluded that existing scientific information cannot determine whether or not excess manganese can cause cancer.

How can manganese affect children?

Studies in children have suggested that extremely high levels of manganese exposure may produce undesirable effects on brain development, including changes in behavior and decreases in the ability to learn and remember. We do not know for certain that these changes were caused by manganese alone. We do not know if these changes are temporary or permanent. We do not know whether children are more sensitive than adults to the effects of manganese, but there is some indication from experiments in laboratory animals that they may be.

Studies of manganese workers have not found increases in birth defects or low birth weight in their offspring. No birth defects were observed in animals exposed to manganese.

How can families reduce the risk of exposure to manganese?

• Children are not likely to be exposed to harmful amounts of manganese in the diet. However, higher-than-usual amounts of manganese may be absorbed if their diet is low in iron. It is important to provide your child with a well-balanced diet.
• Workers exposed to high levels of airborne manganese in certain occupational settings may accumulate manganese dust on their work clothes. Manganese-contaminated work clothing should be removed before getting into your car or entering your home to help reduce the exposure hazard for yourself and your family.

Is there a medical test to determine whether I've been exposed to manganese?

Several tests are available to measure manganese in blood, urine, hair, or feces. Because manganese is normally present in our body, some is always found in tissues or fluids.

Because excess manganese is usually removed from the body within a few days, past exposures are difficult to measure with common laboratory tests.

Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?

The EPA has determined that exposure to manganese in drinking water at concentrations of 1 mg/L for up to 10 days is not expected to cause any adverse effects in a child.

The EPA has established that lifetime exposure to 0.3 mg/L manganese is not expected to cause any adverse effects.

The FDA has determined that the manganese concentration in bottled drinking water should not exceed 0.05 mg/L.

Lead

What is lead?

Lead is a metal found naturally in the earth's crust. It can be found in all parts of our environment, including air, water, and soil. Lead can combine with other chemicals to make different compounds.

Lead is used in the production of batteries, ammunition, and metal products (solder and pipes). Because of health concerns, the use of lead in paints, ceramic products, caulking, and pipe solder has been dramatically reduced. The use of lead as an additive to automobile gasoline was banned in 1996 in the United States.

What happens to lead in the environment?

• Lead is an element, so it does not break down.
• When lead is released into the air, it may be transported long distances before it lands and stays on the ground.
• Once on the ground, lead can often stick to soil particles.
• Lead in soil can get into groundwater, but the amount of lead that moves into groundwater will depend on the lead compound and soil type.

How can I be exposed to lead?

Lead can cause health problems in almost every organ and system in your body.

• Eating food or drinking water that contains lead.
• Drinking water from pipes that were soldered with lead can cause exposure.
• Spending time or living in homes with lead-based paints can result in exposure when the paint breaks down and forms dust, which can get on your hands, or into your mouth and nose and be swallowed.
• Spending time in areas where the soil is contaminated with lead.
• Working in a job where lead is used or participating in certain hobbies where lead is used, such as making stained glass.
• Using healthcare products from other countries, alternative treatments, or folk remedies.

How can lead affect my health?

The effects of lead are the same whether it enters the body by breathing it in or eating it. Lead can affect almost every organ and system in your body. The nervous system is the main target for lead poisoning in children and adults. Long-term exposure can result in decreased learning, memory, and attention, and weakness in fingers, wrists, or ankles. Lead exposure can cause anemia (low iron in the blood) and damage to the kidneys. It can also cause increases in blood pressure, particularly in middle-aged and older individuals. Exposure to high lead levels can severely damage the brain and kidneys and can cause death. In pregnant women, exposure to high levels of lead may cause a miscarriage. In men, it can cause damage to reproductive organs.

How can lead affect children?

Children are more vulnerable to lead poisoning than adults because their nervous system is still developing. Children can be exposed to lead in their environment and before birth from lead in their mother’s body. At lower levels of exposure, lead can decrease mental development, especially learning, intelligence, and behavior. Physical growth may also be decreased. A child who swallows large amounts of lead may develop anemia, severe stomachache, muscle weakness, and brain damage. Exposure to lead during pregnancy can also result in premature births. Some effects of lead poisoning in a child may continue into adulthood.

Can lead cause cancer?

Several agencies and organizations both in the United States and internationally have reviewed studies and made an assessment about whether lead can cause cancer.

• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has determined that lead and lead compounds are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens (causing cancer in people).
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified lead as a probable human carcinogen.
• The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that inorganic lead is probably carcinogenic to humans, and that there is insufficient information to determine whether organic lead compounds will cause cancer in humans.

Can I get a medical test to check for lead?

A blood test is available to measure the amount of lead in your blood. Blood tests are commonly used to screen children for lead poisoning. Your doctor can draw blood samples and send them to appropriate laboratories for analysis. If you think you or anyone in your family has been exposed to lead, contact your doctor, nurse, or poison control center.

How can I protect my family from lead exposure?

• Avoid exposure to sources of lead.
• Do not allow children to chew or mouth surfaces that may have been painted with lead-based paint.
• If your home contains lead-based paint (built before 1978), or if you live in an area contaminated with lead, wash children's hands and faces often to remove lead dusts and soil, and regularly clean the house to remove lead dust and lead tracked in soil.
• Certain water pipes may contain lead, so if you know that pipes have lead solder, you should avoid drinking from that source.
• Check for lead in some products such as toys and jewelry and avoid such products.
• Lead is sometimes in candies imported from other countries or traditional home remedies; find out if yours has any lead and avoid using these products or giving them to children.

Chlorine

What is chlorine?

Chlorine is a gas with a very irritating odor. It is used in the production of thousands of products. It is also used for water disinfection, although the chlorine itself is quickly transformed into other chemicals at the beginning of the process.

Chlorine is not present in chlorinated water. During water chlorination, chlorine gas may be added to the water at first; however, the chlorine is quickly transformed into other chemicals (hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite anion), which actually disinfect the water.

The term "free chlorine" in drinking water usually refers to the amount of hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite in the water. It is important to recognize that these compounds are different from chlorine.

Chlorine is used to make bleach; bleach is not the same as chlorine.

What happens to chlorine when it enters the environment?

• Chlorine is very unstable and reacts with a variety of chemicals and water when it is released into the environment.
• Chlorine is broken down by sunlight within a matter of several minutes.
• Chlorine dissolves in water and is converted into chloride and hypochlorous acid.
• If chlorine is spilled into water or onto soil or if it is released from a tank into the air, the chlorine will evaporate very quickly forming a greenish-yellow cloud that is heavier than air and can be carried by the wind away from the source.

How might I be exposed to chlorine?

• Because chlorine is so reactive, it is not normally detected in the environment except for very low levels in the air above seawater.
• You may be exposed through breathing, skin and eye contact if an accident involving chlorine takes place nearby, such as a liquid chlorine spill, a leak from a chlorine tank, or a leak from a facility that produces or uses chlorine.
• You may also be exposed to chlorine if you mix household chemicals such as toilet cleaner with bleach. Mixing household cleaners containing ammonia with bleach may also release dangerous chemicals into the air.
• You may be exposed to chlorine gas through the improper use of swimming pool chemicals.
• People who work in places where chlorine is made or used may be exposed to low levels over a period of time.

How can chlorine affect my health?

Exposure to low levels of chlorine can result in nose, throat, and eye irritation. At higher levels, breathing chlorine gas may result in changes in breathing rate and coughing, and damage to the lungs.

In general, people who suffer from respiratory conditions such as allergies or hay fever, or who are heavy smokers, tend to experience more severe effects than healthy subjects or nonsmokers.

Drinking small amounts of hypochlorite solution (less than a cup) can produce irritation of the esophagus. Drinking concentrated hypochlorite solution can produce severe damage to the upper digestive tract and even death. These effects are most likely caused by the caustic nature of the hypochlorite solution and not from exposure to molecular chlorine.

Spilling hypochlorite solution on the skin can produce irritation. The severity of the effects depends on the concentration of sodium hypochlorite in the bleach.

How likely is chlorine to cause cancer?

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not classified chlorine as to its human carcinogenicity.

How does chlorine affect children?

Short-term exposures (minutes) to high concentrations of chlorine affect children in the same manner they affect adults, but children may be more sensitive. We do not know what the effects could be in children following longer-term, low-level exposure to chlorine gas or hypochlorite solution.

We do not know whether exposure to chlorine gas during pregnancy can result in damage to unborn babies because there are no studies of pregnant women or pregnant animals exposed to chlorine gas.

How can families reduce the risk of exposure to chlorine?

• Do not mix bleach with other household cleaners such as toilet cleaners because chlorine gas can be released to the air. Do not mix bleach with household cleaners containing ammonia because dangerous chemicals can be released to the air.
• Always store household chemicals in their original labeled containers out of reach of young children to prevent accidental poisonings. Never store household chemicals in containers children would find attractive to eat or drink from, such as old soda bottles.
• Chlorine gas can also be released to the air when chemicals used to chlorinate swimming pools are mishandled. If you have a swimming pool at home, read the labels of the chlorination products carefully and do not let children play with these products.

Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to chlorine?

There are no medical tests to determine whether you have been exposed specifically to chlorine.

Chlorine is transformed in the body into chloride ions, which are normal components of the body. An enormous amount of chlorine has to be inhaled or ingested in order to detect a significant increase in chloride ions in the blood.

Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?

EPA established an environmental air limit of 0.5 ppm. Exposure to higher levels could result in discomfort and irritation. Dependent on the concentration, these effects may be reversible when exposure ends.

OSHA set a legal limit of 1 ppm chlorine in air as a ceiling limit. At no time should a worker's exposure exceed this limit.

EPA established a maximum contaminant level (MCL) and maximum residual disinfectant level (MRDL) of 4 mg/L for free chlorine in drinking water.

Where can I get more information?

Centers for Disease Control

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Office of Innovation and Analytics, Toxicology Section
4770 Buford Highway
Chamblee, GA 30341-3717
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO 888-232-6348 (TTY)
Email: Contact CDC-INFO

References

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2008. Toxicological Profile for Aluminum. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2012. Toxicological Profile for Manganese. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2020. Toxicological Profile for Lead. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2010. Toxicological Profile for Chlorine. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Public Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.