Learn · 4 min read
Is Chloramine Safe to Drink?
Chloramine is chlorine bonded with a small amount of ammonia. The EPA allows it as a primary disinfectant up to 4 ppm as Cl2, and large utilities including Washington D.C., Tampa, San Francisco, and Philadelphia have used it for decades because it stays active longer in the distribution pipes than free chlorine does.
For most healthy adults, drinking chloraminated tap water is fine within EPA limits. The published health concerns are narrower: people with kidney disease on dialysis need chloramine removed (their dialysis machines do this), and people with pet fish or aquatic reptiles need to dechlorinate before filling tanks.
The complaints most homeowners actually have about chloramine are aesthetic: a faint pool smell at the shower, dryer skin, and a taste that some people find harsh. A whole-house catalytic-carbon filter at the point of entry removes chloramine across every fixture. Standard granular activated carbon (GAC) is much weaker against chloramine, so confirm the system is spec'd for it.
If you only want clean drinking water at one tap, a certified point-of-use reverse osmosis unit at the kitchen sink removes chloramine and a long list of other contaminants without treating the whole house.
Recommended products that solve this
If this is your situation, these are the systems we recommend. Buttons open the brand's current pricing in a new tab.
Top pick
SpringWell
SpringWell CF1 Whole House Filter
Whole-house carbon filter
Catalytic-carbon whole-house filter, spec'd to remove chloramine (not just chlorine) at every fixture in the home.
Also consider
Aquasana
Aquasana OptimH2O RO (under-sink)
Point-of-use reverse osmosis
If you only want chloramine-free drinking water at the kitchen tap, this certified reverse-osmosis unit handles it without a whole-house install.
Frequently asked questions
- Is chloramine in tap water dangerous?
- For most healthy adults, no. The EPA allows chloramine up to 4 ppm and large utilities have used it safely for decades. People on kidney dialysis and aquarium owners need to remove it before use.
- Does a Brita pitcher remove chloramine?
- Standard Brita and similar pitcher filters reduce chlorine but are not certified for chloramine. Look for a filter that specifically lists NSF/ANSI 42 chloramine reduction, or use catalytic carbon at the whole house.
- Why does my shower smell like a pool?
- That faint chlorine smell at warm water is often chloramine off-gassing. A whole-house catalytic-carbon filter removes it across every fixture, including the shower.
- Will boiling remove chloramine?
- Not effectively. Chloramine is more stable than free chlorine and can take 20+ minutes of vigorous boiling to dissipate. A carbon filter is faster and uses no energy.