Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia that is used by some cities to disinfect drinking water. This article discusses how to remove chloramine from water. Cities began the conversion to chloramine when it was discovered that chlorine interacts with organic material in water to form chemicals that cause cancer and other health problems. These are known as the trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. They are carcinogens. Switching from chlorine to chloramine lessens these compounds.
Chloramine is fraught with its own issues. It has been known to cause skin irritation. Consumer groups have formed in some cities around the country to oppose the use of chloramine. It is also dangerous to fish and other aquatic life. Chloramine can also damage pipes, appliances, and rubber hoses. And unfortunately chloramine also produces dangerous and carcinogenic byproducts. These are not yet regulated so not listed in your local water report.
Chloramine is more difficult to remove from drinking water than chlorine. Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia. Removing chloramine requires catalytic carbon. Carbon filters intended for chlorine removal may not remove chloramine. Specific types of carbon must be used to remove chloramine from drinking water. Also, traditional tactics such as boiling the water or allowing it to sit do not remove chloramine. Nor do traditional reverse osmosis systems. The difficulty in removing chloramine can confound those individuals with adverse health effects.
My Urban Defender whole house water filter with catalytic carbon will remove chloramine. However, when I recommend it to a customer with chloramine in their drinking water then I will also recommend a kitchen water filter. I have found that traces of chloramine bypass a whole house filter. Chloramine removal is highly dependent on flow rate. Even with a whole house filter it can sometimes still be tasted when drinking water. The best way to remove chloramine is to use a combination of whole house water filter and a kitchen water filter. Both my Kitchen Defender water filter and five stage custom reverse osmosis system are configured to remove chloramine from drinking water.
What’s in your water? To find out, start by finding you local water report. This water report will identify the source of your water and should say if they use chloramines.
