Your Tap Water Could Have This Newly-Discovered Toxic Chemical

The recent discovery of a new chemical in drinking water has alarmed scientists after a new study concluded it could potentially be toxic. 

The new research, published Nov. 21 in the Science journal, examines the potential impact of a previously unidentified chemical byproduct of chloramine that scientists have named "chloronitramide anion." Chloramine is formed by mixing chlorine and ammonia and is often used in municipal water treatment systems to kill viruses and bacteria. Approximately one-third of U.S. residents have been drinking tap water with the compound. 

"It has similarity to other toxic molecules," study co-author and EPA research environmental engineer David Wahman told NBC News. "We looked for it in 40 samples in 10 U.S. chlorinated drinking water systems located in seven states. We did find it in all the samples."

Related: Half of U.S. Tap Water Has These Harmful Chemicals, Study Says

The existence of the chemical was first discovered approximately 40 years ago, but scientists now are able to examine and learn from it thanks to today's advanced technology. While the paper doesn't confirm if chloronitramide anion is dangerous, the researchers wanted to look into it because of how similar it is to other concerning chemicals and how widely detected it is. 

"We don’t know the toxicity, but this study has enabled us to be able to do that work now," study lead author Julian Fairey said. "Now, we can go about the hard work of trying to figure out what its toxicological relevance is in our water systems."

It could be a while—likely several years to a decade or more—before we learn much more about the chemical, including more concrete answers about its harms. For now, you might want to invest in a water filter.