Why do water supplies use Chloramine?
Public Water Supplies in the U.S. are regulated by the EPA under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Various compounds are used to disinfect water to make sure there are no harmful bacteria. When surface water supplies such as reservoirs use chlorine as a disinfectant, harmful “disinfection byproducts” can be created. In an effort to lower the disinfection byproducts, some water supplies are switching to chloramines for their disinfectant.

What are Chloramines?
Chloramine is a compound consisting of chlorine and ammonia.

Are Chloramines harmful?
Water that has been disinfected with chloramines is safe for people and animals to consume, bathe in and water the garden. Chloramines must be neutralized for patients undergoing kidney dialysis, and chloramines are harmful for gill breathing creatures. In addition, certain gaskets or seals will be degraded by prolonged contact with chloramines, a factor that water treatment and plumbing companies must consider when installing water handling equipment.

How are Chloramines removed?
A special type of carbon filter can be used to reduce chloramines. If maximum possible removal is critical, the filter must be carefully sized to assure adequate contact time between the water and the media. These filters can be sized as replaceable cartridge style filters or as large fiberglass tanks of media sized for entire homes and facilities.