Nashville, Franklin, and Brentwood water utilities add chlorine or chloramine to drinking water as a disinfectant—it's required by federal law to kill harmful bacteria. While this keeps water microbiologically safe, it means every glass of tap water, every shower, and every meal cooked with water exposes your family to chlorine compounds.

Is it safe? Yes, at regulated levels chlorine in drinking water meets EPA safety standards. But "safe" and "optimal" aren't the same thing. Chlorine can affect taste, dry out skin and hair, and many families prefer to reduce unnecessary chemical exposure—especially for children who drink more water relative to their body weight.

How much are you actually consuming? Use the calculator below to discover your family's yearly chlorine intake from Nashville area tap water. The results might surprise you—and help you decide if whole-home filtration or reverse osmosis makes sense for your family.