What Are Chlorine and Chloramine?
Municipal water systems commonly use chlorine or chloramine (a blend of chlorine and ammonia) to disinfect drinking water and protect public health. They do an important job—but they can also:
- Create strong tastes and odors
- Dry out skin and hair
- Affect how drinks and food taste
- Interact with older plumbing and fixtures
You don’t control the treatment at the plant—but you can control what reaches your taps with properly designed filtration.
Signs Chlorine or Chloramine Are a Problem
You might be dealing with chlorine/chloramine issues if you notice:
- Strong “pool” smell at sinks and showers
- Water that tastes chemical or medicinal
- Itchy or dry skin after bathing
- Hair that feels brittle or dull
- Coffee, tea, and ice that taste off even when equipment is clean
These symptoms often show up alongside other Common Water Problems such as Bad Tasting Water, High TDS (Salinity), or concerns about Lead Contaminants and PFAS / PFOS (Forever Chemicals).
Why Municipal Systems Use Chlorine and Chloramine
Chlorine and chloramine are used because they:
- Kill or inactivate harmful microorganisms in water
- Provide a “residual” disinfectant that protects water as it travels through pipes
- Are well understood and widely regulated
However, the same chemistry that protects you from bacteria can:
- Create noticeable taste and odor
- React with plumbing materials to form byproducts
- Be tough to remove with basic carbon pitchers or small filters
That’s where properly sized and configured home or facility filtration comes in.
How We Treat Chlorine and Chloramine
Chlorine and chloramine need slightly different strategies. We start by confirming which one your utility uses, then design systems matched to your water and plumbing.
Whole-Home Taste & Odor Control
When you want better water at every tap—not just in the kitchen—we design Whole-Home Water Treatment systems that target disinfection chemicals as water enters the building:
- Activated carbon filtration for chlorine and many taste/odor issues
→ Catalytic Carbon Water Filtration - Catalytic carbon and specialty media specifically selected for chloramine reduction
→ Specialty Water Filtration
This can make a noticeable difference for:
- Showers and baths (skin and hair feel better)
- Laundry (less fading and fabric stress)
- Overall comfort and smell throughout the home or facility
Drinking Water Systems
For many clients, the top priority is great-tasting water for drinking and cooking. Here we often recommend:
- Reverse Osmosis – Advanced filtration that reduces a wide range of dissolved contaminants and significantly improves taste.
→ Reverse Osmosis - Under-sink filters – Point-of-use systems that focus on chlorine, chloramine, and sediment for better everyday taste.
→ Under Sink Water Filter
These can serve:
- Kitchen sinks
- Beverage stations and break rooms
- Refrigerators and ice makers
They’re especially helpful for people who have stopped drinking tap water altogether because of taste and smell.
Specialized and Larger-Scale Solutions
For more complex systems, we work within:
- Commercial Solutions – Restaurants, cafés, healthcare, and facilities where water quality directly affects customer experience and equipment.
- Municipal & Government Solutions – Applications where plant treatment, distribution, and point-of-entry filtration intersect.
In these settings, we may combine:
- Pre-treatment and specialty carbon for chloramine
- Downstream polishing via RO or other technologies
- Pump, Pressure, & Storage Tank Services and Water Treatment System Installation & Maintenance to keep everything running properly
Who Benefits From Chlorine/Chloramine Treatment?
Homeowners on City Water
Under Residential Solutions, we regularly help families who:
- Dislike the taste and smell of city water
- Have sensitive skin or hair that reacts to chlorine
- Want better water for kids, cooking, and pets
- Want to stop buying bottled water and rely on their tap again
We build solutions that balance cost, performance, and convenience for your specific home.
Businesses & Facilities
With Commercial Solutions, we support:
- Food and beverage businesses that need consistent water quality for flavor and presentation
- Healthcare and office buildings where staff and patients notice taste and smell
- Facilities trying to protect equipment from chemical and byproduct impacts
Systems are designed around your flow rates, operating hours, and code requirements.
Community & Public-Sector Projects
Through Municipal & Government Solutions, we help:
- Small systems and facilities adding point-of-entry or point-of-use filtration
- Projects that need clear documentation of performance and ongoing service plans
- Sites where chlorine or chloramine is necessary for safety, but end users expect improved taste and odor at the point of use
Our Process for Chlorine and Chloramine Issues
- Discuss & Review
We gather information about your water provider, what you’re tasting and smelling, and where it’s worst (showers, kitchen, entire building). - Test & Confirm
We confirm whether chlorine, chloramine, or both are present and check for related concerns like TDS, lead, or other contaminants. - Design & Install
We design a system using Catalytic Carbon Water Filtration, Specialty Water Filtration, Reverse Osmosis, and/or Under Sink Water Filter options that match your goals, then install and commission it. - Service & Monitor
Through Water Treatment System Installation & Maintenance, we handle filter replacements, inspections, and adjustments to keep performance consistent.
