You turn on the faucet and get a strong whiff of something that smells more like a swimming pool than drinking water. It is one of the most common water quality complaints from homeowners across Georgia, and the reason it happens is simpler than you might think. Chlorine is added to your water on purpose, but that does not mean you have to live with the smell.
Why Is Chlorine Added to Drinking Water
Chlorine has been used in municipal water treatment for over a century, and for good reason. It is an effective disinfectant that kills bacteria, viruses, and other harmful microorganisms that can make people sick. Chlorine in municipal water is added at the treatment plant and is designed to remain present throughout the distribution system, all the way to your tap, to prevent contamination from picking up along the way. So when your tap water smells like chlorine, it is typically a sign that your municipal water supply is doing its job. The problem is not the chlorine itself. The problem is the smell, the taste, and in some cases, the byproducts it leaves behind.
Why Does City Water Taste and Smell Like Chlorine More at Some Times Than Others
If you have noticed that your water smells more strongly of chlorine at certain times, there are a few reasons that can happen. Water treatment plants adjust chlorine levels seasonally, often increasing them during warmer months when higher temperatures can encourage bacterial growth in the distribution system. Water that has traveled a shorter distance from the treatment plant to your tap may also carry a stronger chlorine smell because it has had less time to dissipate. Changes in source water quality throughout the year can also prompt utilities to increase chlorine dosing. You can learn more about how and why using chlorination works in water treatment to get a fuller picture of the process.
Is It Safe to Drink Water That Smells Like Chlorine
In most cases, tap water that smells like chlorine is safe to drink. The EPA sets limits on the amount of chlorine that can be present in public drinking water, and municipal systems are required to stay within those limits. That said, chlorine in water does not come without tradeoffs. When chlorine reacts with organic matter naturally present in source water, it can form disinfection byproducts including trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids, which have been associated with health concerns at elevated levels over long periods of time. Beyond the chemistry, many people simply find chlorinated water unpleasant to drink, cook with, and bathe in. Chlorinated shower water can dry out skin and hair, and the taste affects everything from your morning coffee to your evening meal.
Is There Chlorine in Shower Water
Yes. Unless you have a whole home filtration system in place, the same chlorinated water coming out of your kitchen tap is also coming out of your shower. For people with sensitive skin, eczema, or other skin conditions, chlorinated shower water can be an aggravating factor. A home water filtration system that treats water at the point of entry addresses chlorine exposure at every tap and shower in the house, not just where you drink.
How to Get Chlorine Out of Tap Water
There are several effective approaches to reducing or eliminating chlorine smell and taste from your tap water.
- Carbon filtration: One of the most effective and widely used methods for chlorine removal is carbon filtration. Activated carbon adsorbs chlorine as water passes through, significantly reducing both the smell and taste. Our post on how to reduce chlorine with carbon filter goes into detail on how this works and what to expect.
- Whole home filtration: A whole home system treats all the water entering your house, addressing chlorine at every point of use including showers, taps, and appliances. This is the most comprehensive approach and the one most homeowners find makes the biggest noticeable difference in daily water quality.
- Reverse osmosis: A reverse osmosis system at a point of use such as your kitchen sink delivers highly purified drinking water with chlorine and a wide range of other contaminants removed.
If you are weighing your options, our post on buying a water filtration system is a useful starting point for understanding what makes sense for your home and budget.
What About Well Water and Chlorinators
While chlorine smell is primarily a city water concern, well water is a different story. Private wells are not disinfected by a municipality, which means bacteria and other biological contaminants can be a real risk without proper treatment. A well water chlorinator is a system that introduces a controlled amount of chlorine into well water to disinfect it before it enters the home. When sized and maintained correctly, a chlorinator water treatment system keeps well water safe from bacterial contamination while allowing downstream filtration to remove the chlorine before it reaches your taps. If you are on well water and have concerns about water safety or water quality, a professional water test is always the right first step.
Talk to Home Water Chlorinator Experts Who Know Your Water
Whether your water smells like chlorine because of municipal treatment or you need a chlorinator for well water disinfection, the right solution starts with understanding what is actually in your water. Metro Water Filter of the South has been helping homeowners across Georgia and the Southeast diagnose water quality issues and find the right filtration solutions since 1972. Our home water chlorinator experts will test your water and give you straight answers about what you are dealing with and what will actually fix it. Contact a water filter company today to schedule your free in-home water test and consultation.
