here are many benefits to adding chlorine dioxide to water. Since, the mid 1900’s, public water treatment plants have used chlorine dioxide to kill a variety of waterborne pathogens. The CDC has also stated specifically that Chlorine Dioxide is used to make drinking water safe. When added to drinking water in accurate amounts, it helps destroy viruses, bacteria and some types of parasites that can make people sick, such as Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum.