Chloramine in City Water: How to Choose a Filter

What chloramine is and why utilities use it

According to the U.S. EPA, chloramines are most commonly formed when ammonia is added to chlorine to treat drinking water, and they provide longer-lasting disinfection as water moves through pipes to homes. EPA notes that utilities have used chloramines since the 1930s and that chloramine-treated water meeting regulatory standards is safe for drinking, cooking and bathing.

So filtering chloramine is not about making water meet standards; it already does. People filter it for taste and odor, and for how the water feels in the shower.

Which South Florida utilities use chloramine

Many cities buy water from a larger utility or run their own plant. If you are in Hialeah, Doral or another city, your water bill and annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) name your provider and its disinfectant.

Why standard carbon may not be enough

Activated carbon handles free chlorine readily. Chloramine is more stable, which is exactly why utilities use it, and that stability also makes it harder for ordinary carbon to reduce. A filter that does a good job on chlorine taste may do much less on chloramine, or may need far more contact time and media to do it.

That is why filters designed for chloramine typically use specialized media, such as catalytic carbon, and larger beds that give the water more contact time. Sizing matters too: a whole-home system has to treat high flow, so an undersized tank may let chloramine through during heavy use.

Check the certification, not the label

NSF/ANSI 42 covers aesthetic claims, and chlorine reduction and chloramine reduction are separate claims under it. A product certified to NSF/ANSI 42 for chlorine is not necessarily certified for chloramine. Before you buy:

1. Get the exact model number.
2. Look it up in the certifier's public listing (NSF has a searchable listing of products certified for chloramine reduction).
3. Confirm the chloramine reduction claim and the rated capacity and flow.
4. Ask how the system is sized for your home's flow and water use.

Which type of system fits

• Whole-home: treats every tap and shower. Living Water's city water systems (Puronics Clarius iGen and Goodspring) are described by Living Water as removing chloramine and chlorine; ask for each model's certification listing.
• Under-sink RO: for drinking and cooking water. The carbon pre-filter protects the membrane and handles the chloramine load. See alkaline RO.
• Both: many city homes pair whole-home treatment with RO at the kitchen.

Media working against chloramine may need replacement on a different schedule than chlorine-only media. See annual ownership cost.

Notice a stronger chlorine smell some weeks?

During a utility's temporary switch to free chlorine, many residents notice a stronger chlorine taste or smell. Miami-Dade says this temporary condition will not cause adverse health effects. It is a normal maintenance step, and a good time to notice how much the taste matters to you.

Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist