Dry, Itchy Skin After Showering in Palm Springs

Comfort factors in Palm Springs water

• Chloramine: 2.29 ppm running average in 2025, range 1.3 to 3.7 ppm.
• Chlorine-only period: at least once a year, when the Village says some customers notice a stronger chlorine taste and smell.
• Hardness: reduced by lime softening at the plant; test your tap to confirm.
• Heat and time: hot water strips skin oils regardless of the source.

Of these, chloramine is the one a home system can change for every shower at once, which is why it is the focus of most Palm Springs conversations about shower comfort.

Why some weeks feel different

If showers feel harsher for a stretch each year, the Village's scheduled switch to chlorine only is a likely reason; the Village announces it on utility bills, its website and social media. Day-to-day differences may reflect the chloramine range. A test at your shower gives you a real number.

The Village says levels during the chlorine-only period continue to meet EPA standards; the difference people notice is taste, smell and feel, which is exactly what a filter addresses.

Whole-home options

A whole-home city water system treats all water entering the house, including every shower. Living Water describes its Puronics systems as removing chlorine and chloramine. A softener is usually unnecessary on lime-softened water, but a hardness test settles it; see softener vs. filter.

A whole-home system also treats the laundry and kitchen, so the smell of chloramine in steam from the dishwasher or sink goes away along with the shower. Living Water sizes the system to your household's flow so it keeps up with several showers at once.

Shower filters

Shower-head cartridges are small and water passes through in seconds; chloramine needs more contact time than chlorine. Check any shower filter's listing for chloramine, replace it on the maker's schedule (a point the Village's report also makes about filters), and retest after a few weeks.

A whole-home system avoids that guesswork.

What we do not claim

Filtered water is not a medical treatment. We do not claim it cures eczema, psoriasis or any condition. If your skin is irritated, cracked or itchy for long periods, see a dermatologist.

What we can do is measure the water and let you decide.

Simple steps and a test

• Shorter, slightly cooler showers.
• Moisturize right after drying off.
• Run the bathroom fan; chloramine vaporizes in steam.
• Check the water heater setting.

Jorge tests total chlorine and hardness at your shower for free. Call, text or WhatsApp (305) 793-5974. See also chloramine filters in Palm Springs.

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