Water chlorination and lipo- and apolipoproteins: the relationship in elderly white women of western Pennsylvania.

The relationship between consumption of chlorinated drinking water in the home water supply and serum lipids was examined in 2070 elderly White women. Private springs, cisterns, and wells were considered nonchlorinated and public water sources, chlorinated. Mean serum lipids and lipoproteins were similar in the chlorinated and nonchlorinated groups. Stratification by years of exposure revealed little difference in lipid concentrations. Lifestyle factors--for example, smoking and alcohol consumption--differed by years of exposure. Hence, previous reports of an association between chlorinated drinking water and serum cholesterol levels may reflect inadequate control of other factors differentially distributed across chlorinated exposure groups.