What PBCWUD reports for Belle Glade
- Disinfectant: chlorine, added before the water leaves the western plant.
- Highest running annual average in 2025: 2.57 ppm, with individual samples from 0.06 to 3.6 ppm (the highest being 1 of 488 samples).
- Maximum residual disinfectant level: 4 ppm.
- The twice-yearly chloramine-to-chlorine switch on the coast "does not affect Western Region customers in Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay."
For comparison, the coastal Eastern Region table lists chlorine and chloramines at a 3.04 ppm running annual average. Belle Glade's chlorine figure is its own, from the western system.
Chlorine vs. chloramine, in plain terms
| Chlorine (Belle Glade) | Chloramine (coastal PBCWUD) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Free chlorine | Chlorine combined with ammonia |
| Smell | Sharper, pool-like | Flatter, more medicinal |
| Fades if water sits open | Yes, fairly quickly | Much more slowly |
| Filtering | Readily reduced by quality activated carbon | Usually needs catalytic carbon and more contact time |
Options for a Belle Glade home
- Quick and free: PBCWUD suggests refrigerating tap water in an open pitcher; chlorine taste fades within hours.
- Kitchen: under-sink alkaline RO, whose carbon pre-filters reduce chlorine.
- Every tap and shower: a whole-home city water system; Living Water describes its Puronics Clarius iGen and Goodspring systems as removing chlorine and chloramine.
If you have recently moved to Belle Glade from the coast, the water may smell and taste different from what you are used to. That is expected: coastal PBCWUD water carries chloramine, and Belle Glade's carries free chlorine. A filter that worked on chloramine will generally work on chlorine too, but the reverse is not always true.
What to check on any filter
Look for NSF/ANSI 42 certification for chlorine reduction (taste and odor) on the exact model, and the flow rate it was certified at. A small shower or faucet cartridge can do the job at low flow but loses effectiveness when overrun or overdue for replacement. Our guide chloramine in city water: choosing a filter covers what changes if you move to chloramine water on the coast.
Replacement timing is the most common weak point. A carbon filter that is past its rated capacity lets chlorine through. Write the change date on the housing or set a reminder.
Dialysis and aquariums
PBCWUD notes that chlorine must be removed from water used for kidney dialysis and aquariums. Follow your dialysis provider's or aquarium supplier's guidance for those uses.
Measure it
Jorge measures chlorine at your tap and explains what you are tasting. Call, text or WhatsApp Jorge at (305) 793-5974.
https://discover.pbc.gov/waterutilities/PubDoc/CCR_2025.pdf
https://discover.pbc.gov/waterutilities/Pages/Water-Quality.aspx
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist