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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / April 2006Cats, water, and chloramine
Recently my local water system changed over from chlorine to chloramine. Yours may have changed already, or be considering changing. You may not know that unlike chlorine, there is no way to effectively remove chloramine (a toxin) from tap water. Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia. My cat is very old (coming up on 22nd birthday) and a bit feeble. Last week, she simply stopped drinking water and eating food. To the vet on Wednesday, and they gave her sub-cut fluid, and when she got home she ate again. By Thursday morning, again no food or water, again fluids at the vet, again eating and drinking, but only for a while. We'd made an appointment early Saturday, and if the cat wasn't better, that was to be the end. The afternoon before, I was thinking and thinking, and ended up thinking about water. I'd read about chloramine, so I knew that it simply killed aquarium fish, that it sometimes causes behavior problems in dogs, and more. So I emptied the Drinkwell and the face washing bowl, cleaned them, and refilled them with spring water. The poor cat drank like she'd been dehydrated for days, which of course was the actual case. We were able to cancel the "last" vet appointment. Now, she's doing MUCH better, eating and drinking like (recent) normal. So then we switched the bird (a cockatiel) to spring water as well, and after a few days, he's more energetic and happy. But the dangers of chloramine don't stop with our pets. This is, after all, a toxin. But it's not just that we're drinking a toxin with our water. Chloramine leaches lead from pipes. If you have children, this is very bad news as lead will hamper your children's mental development. But there's more. Why might beverage plants be not allowed to use chloramine? Why do water department workers now have to wear gas masks, when with chlorine they only needed goggles? At least with chlorine, you could boil it out, or let it evaporate out. But you can't get rid of chloramine, popular water filters like Britta and PUR are almost completely ineffective at removing chloramine. Thankfully, they do at least filter out the lead that chloramine causes to be in your tap water. I'm not a regular here, just a cat owner who almost lost her cat to toxic tap water. Lisa >From: Lisa Horton Lisanews0509@lisahorton.net >I'm not a regular here, just a cat owner who almost lost her cat to >toxic tap water. Thanks for the heads up, Lisa. I'm so glad to hear your kitty is going to be ok. Thankfully I don't give my cats tap water. I am going to check this out. I started with the MSDS which can be found here: http://www.hschem.com/msdscht.html Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm > >From: Lisa Horton Lisanews0509@lisahorton.net > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > http://www.hschem.com/msdscht.html Good info. I like these parts: SECTION VII - HEALTH HAZARD DATA Acute Effects: May be harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin or eyes. Dust is irritating to the eyes, mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract. This material may cause skin irritation. First Aid: In case of contact, immediately flush eyes or skin with water for at least 15 minutes while removing all contaminated clothing boots or shoes. If inhaled, remove to fresh air, if not breathing give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. If ingested and conscious, give several glasses of water. Call a physician. Wash contaminated clothing before reuse. Effects of Overexposure: Long term effects are not known. Prolonged and repeated contact with this chemical may be harmful. Body contact with this chemical may be harmful and should be avoided. SECTION VIII - SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS Always use personal protective equipment and follow safe laboratory practices during handling and storage of this chemical. Handle only in well ventilated areas. Do not get in eyes or on skin or on clothing. Do not take internally. Do not breathe dust. Do not expose container to heat. Do not reuse containers. Clean up spills as they occur. The safety data sheet says not to take internally, yet it's in our tap water... Lisa >From: Lisa Horton Lisanews0509@lisahorton.net >> >From: Lisa Horton Lisanews0509@lisahorton.net >> [quoted text clipped - 53 lines] > >Lisa I know! It's insane, isn't it? :( Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm >The safety data sheet says not to take internally, yet it's in our tap >water... But there is arsenic in water too. Of course in large amounts that is a lethal substance but they put in such minute amounts of chemicals that they are not enough to kill us. But if you are worried about chloramine just use a carbon filtration system. > I'm not a regular here, just a cat owner who almost lost her cat to > toxic tap water. Thanks for sharing this. I have my suspicions about the tap water here, too. I have been giving mine spring water ever since I got a fish and killed it in 3 days, and I had put the additive in that was suggested if you use tap water. I have one cat with IBD, and one with allergies that manifest as skin lesions. I have no idea if any of this is related to the water but it is one thing they have in common. This area (Wash. DC area) is going through a tap water crisis with overly high lead content levels in an uncomfortable number of both random and regional tests.  SignatureCheryl > > I'm not a regular here, just a cat owner who almost lost her cat to > > toxic tap water. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > going through a tap water crisis with overly high lead content levels in an > uncomfortable number of both random and regional tests. You may want to check. Chloramine leaches lead from pipes, leading to high lead levels in the water. Also, chloramine does kill aquarium fish. Sounds like you've got toxic tap water too. Lisa > You may want to check. Chloramine leaches lead from pipes, leading to > high lead levels in the water. Also, chloramine does kill aquarium > fish. Sounds like you've got toxic tap water too. How timely. I just heard on the radio while drivng home from work, that chloramine has been found in the water. http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?sid=206249&nid=360 From the article: "Meanwhile, the Washington Aqueduct plans to begin adding ortho- phosphates to chloramine-treated water." My water isn't from WASA (the source of the *majority* of the high-lead cases) but customers with high-lead content in the water aren't *only* WASA customers. The company who provides my water supposedly started adding ortho-phosphates to the water last fall. I switched my cats over to bottled water during the winter. Based on all this, yes I will have my water tested. SignatureCheryl > > You may want to check. Chloramine leaches lead from pipes, leading to > > high lead levels in the water. Also, chloramine does kill aquarium [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > to bottled water during the winter. Based on all this, yes I will have my > water tested. In other words, your water company has produced a health risk by causing high lead levels in your water. If you have children, you might want to prevent them from drinking any tap water. Interesting that although they know the cause of the problem, instead of FIXING the problem they choose to try palliative measures, the Band-Aid approach. Why not tell them that you would rather they just stop putting toxic Chloramine in your water? Lisa > In other words, your water company has produced a health risk by > causing high lead levels in your water. If you have children, you [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Band-Aid approach. Why not tell them that you would rather they just > stop putting toxic Chloramine in your water? I just had to revisit the reason for the phosphates and at the time they said they were adding it to protect *copper* pipes from pinhole leaks. This was before water in the area started testing positive for high lead levels. Again, I don't know for sure my water has chloramine in it, don't know if I have high lead levels but I found it interesting to hear this news today about chloramine in the WASA water (which "coincidently" was used to disinfect water filtration plants just *before* high lead levels started being detected). This news today will bring about investigations throughout the water companies in the area, I'm sure; the same way they all started doing random tests for lead. Very eye-opening info and I'm glad they're all drinking bottled water, myself included. No kids. I'll be following this in the news and will have my water tested, regardless. SignatureCheryl > Again, I don't know for sure my water has chloramine in it, > don't know if I have high lead levels but I found it interesting to > hear this news today about chloramine in the WASA water (which > "coincidently" was used to disinfect water filtration plants just > *before* high lead levels started being detected). More info: "Unlike the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority, the WSSC does not have any known lead lines[1], according to Brown. Also unlike WASA, the system does not use chloramine to treat water; some scientists have said the chemical could increase corrosion of lead-bearing materials. Arlington gets its water from one of the same treatment plants as the District. " http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48019-2004Mar10.html WSSC is my county water authority. I feel a bit better about some of this info. I'm glad you brought it up, and I'm very glad you discovered it in time to save your cat and bird. [1] There is lead solder joining copper pipes in older areas, though. SignatureCheryl > Recently my local water system changed over from chlorine to > chloramine. Yours may have changed already, or be considering [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > > Lisa This is quite helpful if not distressful after I figured out my water filters to eliminate chlorine, chloroform (by-product of chlorination, trihalomethanes and what not. Most volatile organic something or other, carbons? Gaseous stuff. The water authority is supposed to do a yearly analysis. You might want to ask them for their yearly report. It can be quite helpful. The best is of course to send the water out of your tap for analysis, but that runs around $100 and you have to be careful that the volatile gasses don't escape owing to poor handling. Guess chloramine is not that easily dissipated so easier to assay? From what it seems, the chloramines are not that volatile, unlike the previous baddies which gassed off around 106 Fahrenheit. Then there was a problem if taking a shower in an enclosed area, well, minor problem, but you get the idea. Don't know if reverse osmosis would handle chloramine, but that's a handful and does not work if water is too hard, above what, 10 grains per gallon. But noticed a lot of these units on sale for half price everywhere. A little more complicated than ordinary water filters. A good quantity of water is wasted in this process and it's slow. Treeline > > Recently my local water system changed over from chlorine to > > chloramine. Yours may have changed already, or be considering [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > trihalomethanes and what not. Most volatile organic something or > other, carbons? Gaseous stuff. At least Chlorine will just evaporate away over time. > The water authority is supposed to do a yearly analysis. You might > want to ask them for their yearly report. It can be quite helpful. The > best is of course to send the water out of your tap for analysis, but > that runs around $100 and you have to be careful that the volatile > gasses don't escape owing to poor handling. Guess chloramine is not > that easily dissipated so easier to assay? I don't think I need an analysis. The water company sent out a letter talking about the change to chloramine, so they're definitely using it. > From what it seems, the chloramines are not that volatile, unlike the > previous baddies which gassed off around 106 Fahrenheit. Then there [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > everywhere. A little more complicated than ordinary water filters. A > good quantity of water is wasted in this process and it's slow. I actually spoke on the phone to a water quality specialist at the water company, who allowed that the chloramine "probably" wouldn't affect the cat or bird. He said that there was no economical way to filter it out, that at best activated carbon filters would reduce the chloramine "somewhat". Lisa That's really an eye opener. I just threw out my yearly water report because I was so disgusted at not understanding it. I drink from a brita water filter and bottled water when out of the house, but my cats don't like the filtered water and right now they are drinking tap water. I guess we don't have chloramine in the water, yet. I'm going to try giving them bottled water. -- Barb Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time. I fill plastic water bottles at a spring about 15 miles from the house. The spring runs continuously and is used by a lot of locals. I use this water for the cat's water dishes because my well water has a lot of iron in it which would stain the bowls and the drinkwell. -MIKE > Recently my local water system changed over from chlorine to > chloramine. I hate that for you. I used to be a normal individual until my water company switched over to chloramine. Now thanks to them every day brings me one day closer to death and every breath brings me one less to my last. I had never realized this until consuming chloramine. James Hi Lisa, I was very interested to read this message of yours. Today (4/10/06) my town switched from chlorine to chloramine to disinfect the water for 68, 000 people and their pets and children. I am worried for me, my small dog and cat. We live very close to the treatment plant and in order for the plant to get the required 4 parts per billion (ppb) of chloramine to the farthest away house, there are 2000 ppb chlorine and 500 ppb ammonium sulfate in my tap water! Of course from today on, we will be drinking tap water filtered through carbon and reverse osmosis. (VERY expensive filter!!) I was curious about your phrase about chloramines and dog behavior. Do you have a source you can share with me for that? The reason I ask is because I am putting together a letter to the editor and would like to be able to include something about this in my letter. You can email me at: ellenpowell [at]verizon.net. Use the @ sign- I just wanted to protect my email address from spammers. Anything you could send me about the negative side of chloramine would be very much appreciated! I am glad your kitty survived the chloramines! Ellen >Recently my local water system changed over from chlorine to >chloramine. Yours may have changed already, or be considering [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > >Lisa >Hi Lisa, I was very interested to read this message of yours. Today (4/10/06) >my town switched from chlorine to chloramine to disinfect the water for 68, >000 people and their pets and children. I am worried for me, my small dog and >cat. We live very close to the treatment plant and in order for the plant to >get the required 4 parts per billion (ppb) of chloramine to the farthest away Looks like's it's just fish and kidney patients who shouldn't have water with chloramine in it: http://www.epa.gov/region9/water/chloramine.html http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/EnvironmentalServices/uepd/wquality/Enviro nmentalServicesClmnfaqs.aspx >>Hi Lisa, I was very interested to read this message of yours. Today (4/10/06) >>my town switched from chlorine to chloramine to disinfect the water for 68, [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >http://www.epa.gov/region9/water/chloramine.html >http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/EnvironmentalServices/uepd/wquality/Enviro nmentalServicesClmnfaqs.aspx Well, since I left this message I have learned a whole universe more. It turns out that chloramine is very volatile. This little fact was missed because everyone was so taken with the fact that chloramines lower some trihalomethanes (Toxic byproducts) that occur in chlorine. However, chloramines create a gas that sears the lungs, causes asthma, and damages mucosa. It has a cumulative effect. This happens when it is hot coming out of the shower, boiling water, using the dishwasher, using the dryer. Obviously the worst place is in the shower where the vapors are concentrated. Chloramines also cause skin problems, digestive problems. In food they are the worst in food that contains a lot of water like hot beverages (soup, coffee, tea, etc.). What the water treatment people put in the water is monochloramine, apparently a fairly inocuous chemical. But, when it is hot, it goes back and forth from being monochloramine to dichloramine and trichloramine. The Di and Tri are the toxic ones. A great place to look them up and read about their toxicity is http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Index.html. Also, there is a group in the San Mateo County, CA area who are lobbying heavily to have chloramines removed until further testing is done. Their website is: http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Index.html. Cheers. |
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