Water quality and indoor air quality are more connected than most people realize. When water contains chemicals such as chlorine or other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), these substances don’t just stay in the water—they can be released into the air through everyday activities like showering, cooking, and humidification. This means that what’s in your water can directly influence the air you breathe indoors, contributing to overall exposure in ways that are often overlooked in healthy building design.
Understanding this connection highlights the importance of addressing water quality as part of a comprehensive indoor environmental strategy. While municipal treatment reduces many biological risks, it does not eliminate all chemical contaminants, and some treatment byproducts may introduce additional concerns. Thoughtful water testing and appropriate filtration or purification systems can play a key role in reducing both ingestion and inhalation exposures. For a deeper look at common water contaminants and practical treatment options, see our Water Quality & Treatment Fact Sheet
A 2005 study published in Environmental Perspectives on this same topic elaborates on specific sources in the realm of everyday household activities:
‘Common household water-use activities such as showering, bathing, drinking, and washing clothes or dishes are potentially important contributors to individual exposure to trihalomethanes (THMs), the major class of disinfection by-products of water treated with chlorine. Previous studies have focused on showering or bathing activities. In this study, we selected 12 common water-use activities and determined which may lead to the greatest…’click here to read original study