Shower water is refreshing, and some of us tend to gulp it down, especially on a hot summer day. But the question that arises from such behavior is- Is drinking shower water safe? In this article, we shall explore what happens if you drink shower water.
The Danger Lurking in Your Shower
We all love our daily showers; there's something invigorating about them. Yet danger could be lurking within these soothing streams of fresh water--or at least according to recent studies that suggest tap or shower water has harmful chemicals like chlorine and fluoride which are detrimental to your health.
On top of bad ingredients making their way into your regular cleaning routine might come unforeseen factors: such as dry skin or irritated eyes because too many impurities were present in the flow-through process when bacteria accumulated while wallowing under 3 minutes worths of rinsing cycles - not just for washing off last night's sorrows but also rejuvenating yourself mentally before continuing your day ahead.
So should you drink shower water instead?
Drinking Shower Water: Can It Be Safe?
Unfortunately, no matter how tempting it may seem (I mean who doesn't want natural spring-like hydration?), drinking directly from your home’s tap/shower heads can lead to serious health problems. Even though municipal treatment plants use various methods -- including chlorination --to purify tap/showerheads output with quality assurances around ppm(ppm (Pounds per million) signifies chemical properties' level presence.These measures still often leave behind small amounts of contaminants,(sounds scary right?)that find their way through disinfection treatments since they require larger purification systems than available today- leaving aside cases where due attention isn't paid over maintenance schedules leading up loopholes
These left-behind pollutants include pesticides ( spray chemicals used during house-sanitization), household cleaners/chemicals, and other industrialized waste discharge which can dispose themselves into plumbing systems over time while posing serious health risks such as cancer, kidney problems- and even eye damage to name a few.(It’s getting dark in here!)
Moreover, shower water has high chlorine content. While it prevents bacteria build-up during the water cycle process/giving that short-term satisfying odor of freshly cleaned surfaces by neutralizing foul odors: The side-effect might lead you itching-redness post-bath; leaving behind rashes/dry touches on skin besides causing mouth/throat irritation when ingested.
Risks Of Drinking Shower Water
While tap/showerheads cleaning is good practice/important at least once every six months (or more often if you live in an area with hard water), it is still unsafe to drink even after several filtration treatments for those cases within our own control. Some of these associated hazards include:
Chlorine Poisoning
As mentioned earlier, chlorine is used in municipal treatment plants to disinfect tap/showerhead circulation but also poses a threat concerning consumption since too much could lead up freshwater poisoning.
Its intake through drinking solo cups or ingestion leads up displeasures such as nausea/vomiting along wit abdominal pain/cramps - some severe cases requiring immediate medical attention before developing any despair systematics allover your body risking all your potential functions down the lane.
So let's say cheers off to that last sip from now onwards? Do we have any alternatives then?
Heavy Metal Intoxication
Another concern regarding our point-of-use sink goes around heavy-metal intoxication leading upto airbone infections due inhalations or mineral imbalances within dietary traces present amidst faucet intakes linking issues like hypertension/weak immune response/kidney failure if not treated timely under professional guidance.(Trace metals are atoms therein known for inducing unwanted effects upon entering the human body which creates negative interactions)
Therefore relying on heavy filtration layers for an outcome trying to its best quality seems the leading answer!
Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach) Poisoning
Aside from chloride, treatment plants also use bleach in water purification cycles. It is yet another harmful component that can cause poisoning upon drinking shower/tap water -- Bleach consumption being a life-threatening force which produces adverse effects such as altering blood pH levels/renal failure affecting one's vital organs altogether.
Conclusion
While it may feel like common sense – drinking tap or showerhead water might seem natural,’ we’d advise abstaining from doing so since some serious health consequences can arise if you do ingest small amounts of contaminants typically present post-disinfection treatments finally concluding at outlets.
If installing high-quality multi-facet filters isn’t feasible, consider filtering/descaling your plumbing system thereby protecting your loved ones who've come over to stay for holidays against any hazardous chemicals lurking within (Cheers!)