To think that fracking is causing this?

[lizzlebizzle33]

Gas company has recently started fracking not far from where I live, I have noticed in the past month or so that when I run a bath or fill the sink for dishes, a chlorine or bleach kind of smell.

In the past week both my son and myself having not had any previous skin conditions, have red itchy patches of dry skin, almost like eczema.

His is worse because the has itched it not knowing any better. But every time I do the dishes my hands go red and itchy. We haven't changed any soaps or anything so I don't think it's that.

Has anybody else who is near fracking sights noticed anything like this or is it just a coincidence do you think?

I'm only guessing but I can't see it being related - fracking is for natural gas, which has no smell.

It sounds more like your local water company might have done something?

www.waterlogic.com/en-us/resources/water-problems/why-does-my-water-smell-like-bleach/

I think its more likely that the water has just been chlorinated more by your water supplier. They would be the people to contact. Roughly what area are you in?

Hmm I'll have a look into that, in in the northwest near Blackpool

It’ll be your water supply, not the fracking. Water companies will vary the amount of chlorine they put in the water depending on how much bacteria their tests show (to keep the water safe to drink). Low levels of chlorine in drinking water are very much safer than dirty water, but I think some people are much more sensitive to the chlorine than others.

I find the chlorine taste and smell in our tap water utterly vile (sometimes it’s very very noticeable.
We filter all our drinking and cooking water (fridge-freezer is plumed in and has a filter, kettle has a filter).

Bath water with a lot of chlorine can be really irritable to DH and DS skin but it’s quite easy to neutralise the chlorine in the bath water by adding a small amount of vit C to the water (you can buy it cheap by the KG on Amazon as people use it for food prep). Only a small teaspoon is needed for each bath.
(Google how to neutralise chlorine in bath water). HTH

Hard/very hard water can do this to me, my skin has become very sore recently.

If you look on the website for your water supplier you should find details of water hardness and quality, on ours there are links for finding out what is in it.

If you have been in an area affected by burst pipes it may also have made a difference.

It may seem as if it is the water but it may be dry air that has caused skin to dry out and become sensitive due to heating being on and then affected by what is in the water. E45 cream might help you.

You should be in United Utilities water supply area, take a look online, I'm sure there will be somewhere you can enquire about water quality. They may have changed the source of your supply and hence changed the amount of chlorine you are getting.

If you’re in the NW I think it’s mlstl soft water (it is in Liverpool) but I agree it’s the water company. Sometimes it’s very strong round here as well.

If it really bothers you you’ll have to filter it I’m afraid.

I did not know the vitamin C thing, interesting.

That's nothing to do with fracking. You need to phone your water company and complain.

It's not going to solve the mysterious water issue but wear washing up gloves when you wash up!

Yes I will get some gloves for washing up assp, I don't think I'll be giving Ds a bath got a little while, until his skin calms down and I can get some vitamin c powder to put in there.

I will contact the water company and complain, I can't see that they will do anything though, unless they have had other complaints too maybe.

Chlorine in water evaporates really quickly - especially if the water is agitated (sloshed about)
You could run the bath/sink for washing up and leave it standing for a while and most of the Cl will have gone.

I used to work for a water company. If you complain they should come out and sample. If you aren't in though they may sample from a neighbour instead. It can help to get them moving quicker if you suggest that you have become unwell after drinking the water (not that I am suggesting you lie of course!). If they are reluctant to come out mention you will contact the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) to complain about them.