I subscribe to a health newsletter, and the following information was the topic of the week.

Five Hidden Dangers of Your Morning Shower

Chlorine: Added to most municipal water supplies, this disinfectant hardens arteries, destroys proteins in the body, irritates skin and sinus conditions, and aggravates asthma, allergies, and respiratory problems. Evidently the warmth of the shower opens the pores of the skin and the skin absorbs the chlorine in a factor many times the amount absorbed when you drink chlorinated water. (Never!)

Chloroform: This powerful by-product of chlorination causes excessive free- radical formation (accelerated aging!), normal cells to mutate, and cholesterol to oxidize. It's a known carcinogen!

DCA (Dichloro acedic acid): This chlorine by-product alters cholesterol metabolism and has been shown to cause liver cancer in lab animals.

MX (another chlorinated acid): Another by-product of chlorination, MX is known to cause genetic mutations that can lead to cancer growth and has been found in all chlorinated water for which it was tested.

Possible cause of bladder and rectal cancer: Research has indicated that drinking chlorinated water may increase the risks for bladder and rectal cancers in the US.

This was not accompanied by a sales pitch for a water filtration system and came from a source which has proven to be fairly reliable in the past. I have no expertise in this area at all, so I don't know how to evaluate it.

When I Googled for more information, of course all I got was scare stories accompanied by a pitch for expensive products to filter one's household water. What I'd like to know is, is the danger real? If so, what can we do to protect ourselves? I can smell the chlorine in the water when I shower, so that part of it I can confirm for myself. That's why I drink bottled water only.

But what about the showering part? It's true that chlorine is absorbed through the skin; I verified that much. But the question is, is the amount and kind in our water sufficient to be hazardous when absorbed through the skin. I know if I contact the Department of Water and Power the party line will be, "It's safe to drink and to bathe in." I wish I knew of a neutral, scientific third party source of information. Do you?