What the city adds
According to the 2025 report, once water is pumped from Homestead's wells, chlorine is added for disinfection, and the treated water is stored in elevated towers before distribution. The city's capital projects include a chlorination upgrade at Wittkop Park with a new chlorine feed building, aimed at keeping disinfection reliable.
Chlorine levels are reported in the city's disinfectant table. Some taste and smell at the tap is normal and expected; it shows the water is still protected in the pipes.
Chlorine vs. chloramine, in practice
| Free chlorine (Homestead city) | Chloramine (WASD main system) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it is made | Chlorine added on its own | Ammonia combined with chlorine |
| Smell | Bleach or pool, may fade if water sits | Milder but persistent |
| Carbon filtration | Reduced readily by activated carbon | Slower; needs media designed for it |
For the chloramine side, read choosing a filter for chloramine.
Certification to check
For taste and odor claims, look for NSF/ANSI 42 certification that lists chlorine reduction (and chloramine, if you might move or are on WASD water). Check the exact model on the certifier's listing and note the rated capacity and flow. Living Water describes its Puronics Clarius iGen and Goodspring whole-home city water systems as removing chlorine and chloramine, so they cover either case.
Shower heads, pitchers and fridge filters
Because Homestead uses free chlorine, small carbon filters have a better chance here than they do against chloramine. Pitchers and fridge filters can improve the taste of drinking water, and shower-head filters can reduce some chlorine in the shower. Their limits are capacity and contact time: a small cartridge exhausts quickly, and hot water moving fast through a shower head gives the media little time to work. Replace cartridges on the schedule the manufacturer lists, and check certification for each claim before you buy.
Edge cases around Homestead
- WASD customers outside the city. Read WASD's Water Quality Report for your system before choosing media.
- Emergency supply. Homestead's 2024 report notes an emergency interconnect with WASD that could provide an alternative supply. A filter designed for both disinfectants removes the guesswork.
- Private wells. No utility disinfectant at all; different priorities. See well water treatment.
Whole-home or kitchen only
A whole-home filter reduces chlorine at every shower and tap. An under-sink RO system handles drinking and cooking water. Comfort in the shower is covered on dry skin after showering in Homestead.
Jorge measures the chlorine at your tap free. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974.
https://www.homesteadfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6143
https://homesteadfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5457/2024-Water-Quality-ENGLISH
https://www.homesteadfl.gov/810/Water-and-Sewer
https://www.miamidade.gov/resources/water/documents/2025-water-quality-report.pdf
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist