Most people assume that if their tap water is treated and safe to drink, there’s nothing to worry about—but have you ever noticed a strange taste, smell, or even skin irritation after using your water? Chloramine, a chemical disinfectant used in many municipal water supplies, is often the culprit.
We know what you’re probably thinking—does that mean you should be concerned about chloramine in your drinking water?
Firstly, let’s dive into exactly what is chloramine and why it’s used in drinking water, then we’ll offer some simple tips around how to remove chloramine from the water you drink at home.
What is Chloramine?
Unsafe water can cause serious health issues, like stomach problems, growth issues, and long-term effects from harmful chemicals. Things like bacteria, heavy metals, and byproducts from disinfectants can lower water quality, so good treatment methods are very important. To keep public water safe, treatment plants use disinfectants like chlorine and chloramine to kill harmful germs. That’s where chloramine comes in.
Chloramine is a mix of chlorine and ammonia. First introduced in the 1900s, chloramine was created as an alternative water disinfectant to chlorine, primarily to address concerns about water safety, taste, and byproducts in large-scale water treatment. Water treatment plants began adding chloramine to the water to kill bacteria, viruses, and other harmful germs, helping to lower the chances of waterborne diseases contaminating drinking water.
What is Chloramine in Water Used For?
In Australia, while chlorine is still the most commonly used disinfectant in municipal water treatment, chloramine is increasingly being adopted by some water treatment facilities in the ACT, Queensland, and New South Wales.
One big reason chloramine is chosen over chlorine in some systems is that it is more stable and it lasts longer. Chlorine can fade quickly as water flows through pipes, but chloramine stays in the water for a longer time, preventing bacterial regrowth in pipes and providing continuous disinfection as it moves from treatment plants to homes and businesses. This is especially helpful for large water networks where steady disinfection is important.
Chloramine is said to improve the taste and odour of water over chlorine, and also creates fewer byproducts like trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), which can be harmful to health. This makes it a good option for cutting down on dangerous chemical byproducts while keeping water safe from germs.
There are different types of chloramines, with monochloramine being the most common in Australian drinking water. It creates fewer harmful byproducts than chlorine, like trihalomethanes (THMs), which might be bad for health.
Is Chloramine Dangerous?
Chloramine is usually safe for drinking water at the levels set by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) framework. While chloramine plays an important role in water disinfection, its potential risks make it a concern for certain individuals. Unlike chlorine, which goes away quickly, chloramine stays in water and can affect health, plumbing, and water quality. Most people can drink chloraminated water without any trouble, but some may have bad reactions from drinking, bathing, or breathing in chloramine vapours, such as:
Respiratory Complications
Inhaling chloramine vapours—especially in environments with high steam exposure, such as hot showers or indoor pools—can irritate the respiratory system. People with conditions like asthma or chronic bronchitis may experience worsened symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
Kidney Harm
People with kidney disease or on dialysis need to be careful with water that has chloramine. Unlike chlorine, you can't get rid of chloramine using regular carbon filters, which makes it dangerous for those using dialysis machines. Chloramine must be removed from water used in dialysis, as it can enter the bloodstream and cause haemolysis (damage to red blood cells).
Skin Irritation and Sensitivities
Chloramine-treated water doesn't evaporate as easily, which can remove natural oils from the skin. This may result in more dryness and discomfort after being in the water for a long time. Some people, especially those with sensitive skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, report that chloramine can cause dry, itchy skin, rashes, and irritation after showering in chloramine-treated water, though evidence remains anecdotal.
Harm to Aquatic Life
Chloramine is toxic to fish, frogs, and other water pets. People with aquariums, ponds, fish farms, and hydroponics need to treat water carefully before adding it to keep their animals safe. A common question is, does boiling water remove chloramine? Unfortunately, chloramine is much more persistent than chlorine and requires special filtration, such as a water conditioner (dechlorinator) specifically designed for aquariums.
Unpleasant Taste and Odour
Some people may find that chloramine makes water taste or smell different. Unlike chlorine, which goes away quickly, chloramine stays in water longer, making its taste and smell stick around more.
Damage to Plumbing and Appliances
Water treated with chloramine can harm metal pipes, rubber seals, and fixtures on water heaters, coffee machines, and other appliances.
How to Filter Chloramine out of Water
Chloramine is great for keeping water clean for a long time, however, there are some worries about chloramine’s effects on health, plumbing, and water quality, which has led some people to look for ways to remove it.
Here are some common filtration methods and how well they go with eliminating chloramine from water:
Boiling
Does boiling remove chloramine? While boiling water is good for killing microorganisms and it can evaporate chlorine (it takes about 15 minutes of boiling water to remove depending on water volume, temperature, and air circulation), chloramine may need hours of boiling to go away completely, so it isn't practical for large amounts of water.
Activated Carbon Filters
Activated carbon filters in water jugs and household filration systems are not highly effective at removing chloramine.
Catalytic Carbon Filters
Catalytic carbon filters are designed to break down chloramine better. These filters can be found in whole-house drinking water systems, under-sink filters, and water pitchers, making them a good option for home use.
Puratap
If you’re wondering, does a Puratap remove chloramine, a standard activated carbon filter can help to remove chlorine, however, it is not good at effectively removing chloramine because of its chemical stability. At the moment, Puratap systems can’t be fitted with catalytic carbon filters.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis systems are also very good at removing chloramine. They push water through a special membrane, filtering out chloramine, chlorine, heavy metals, and other impurities. For the best results, an RO system should be used with a catalytic carbon pre-filter. While effective, RO systems can be more expensive and waste more water than other methods.
Vitamin C Neutralisation
A lesser-known but effective method to remove chloramine is using Vitamin C (ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate). Vitamin C neutralises chloramine, making it popular in shower filters and bath dechlorination tablets. This method is safe, works quickly, and is great for sensitive skin, making it a good choice for those with skin issues from chloraminated water.
UV Light Treatment
UV light is good at killing bacteria and viruses, but it doesn’t effectively remove chloramine on its own. However, when combined with activated carbon filtration, UV treatment can help break down leftover chloramine. This method is mainly used in industrial or commercial water treatment, not typically in homes.
Filter Chloramine Out of Your Drinking Water With Aquastream
Whether you’re worried about health effects (especially those with weak immune systems, breathing issues, or kidney problems), appliance damage, or simply improving the taste of your water, there are effective ways to remove chloramine and enjoy cleaner, purer drinking water.
Remember, chloramine is harder to remove than chlorine, so it's important to pick the right filtration method for clean, safe drinking water.
At Aquastream, our advanced Chloramine Carbon Filter can target and reduce chloramine levels, ensuring safer and better-tasting water. For further information on what removes chloramine from water or to start enjoying cleaner, chloramine-free water today, browse our filtration solutions and take the first step towards safer, healthier drinking water!
