Why is chlorine added to the drinking water?
Chlorine is added as a disinfectant against harmful viruses and bacteria. It is essential for the public safety that chlorine be present in the treatment system. As recently as the early 1900’s, chlorine addition was not an essential part of treatment. In the early 1920’s, the practice of chlorinating the water halted major outbreaks of bacterial diseases such as typhoid, cholera and hepatitis.
