In most cases, there is as much chlorine in your tap water as in a swimming pool. In addition to drinking the chlorine, you also absorb it through your skin when you shower. Shower water is particularly bad; since it is very warm and in small, fast-moving droplets, more free chlorine is given off in the air, which you inhale and absorb directly into your bloodstream. You also absorb chlorine through your skin as you shower. High-chlorine content in shower water also makes your skin feel as dry as it would after you swim in a pool.

If you're curious about how much chlorine is in your tap water, and how your body absorbs it, you can use a commercially available, simple-to-use pool chlorine test to obtain some surprising results. The initial test should show that your water has a chlorine level that is ideal for a swimming pool.

After completing the initial test, thoroughly rinse the test kit out and repeat the test; however, this time, after measuring the water, pour it into a short glass, dip two of your fingers in the water and swirl them around for 10 seconds, then retest the water. You will find that there is no more chlorine in the water. That's because the chlorine has been absorbed through your skin.

That much chlorine in the water also has an effect on your laundry. High levels of chlorine in wash water fades clothes and breaks down the composition of elastic and fabric.

Anderson Water Systems installs equipment that removes the chlorine from water, reducing instances of dry skin, helping clothes last longer, and most important, reducing the risk of certain types of cancer.