Chlorine in tap water: why it is there and what to do about the taste
A pool smell from the tap is annoying, but it usually means the disinfectant is doing its job. Here is what is behind it and the cheap fixes first.
Most Australian water suppliers add a disinfectant, usually chlorine or a chlorine and ammonia blend called chloramine, to keep mains water safe on its way to your tap. The smell and taste are a side effect, not a sign that something is wrong. If you only want to cut the taste, a jug of water in the fridge is the cheapest answer.
You do not have to put up with a strong smell, though. A few simple steps change a lot.
Why the water is treated at all
Disinfectant stays in the water as it travels through kilometres of pipe. Without it, bacteria could grow between the treatment plant and your kitchen. That is why the level is often a little higher at the start of the network and lower at the end.
Your water authority publishes what it uses and why. Look for the water quality report for your supply area. Treat that report as the reference, and not a guess based on smell.
What the smell can and cannot tell you
A pool-like smell usually means normal disinfectant. A sharper smell can follow maintenance work or a change in the water source, and it often fades within days. Smell is a poor measuring tool, since people notice chlorine at very low levels.
If the smell is more like rotten eggs, fuel or earth, that is a different problem. Read about water that tastes metallic and the checks that separate a local cause from a supply one.
Cheap ways to reduce the taste
Chlorine is a gas that escapes from standing water. Fill a clean jug, leave it uncovered in the fridge for a few hours, and the taste softens. Chilling the water helps too, because cold water hides the flavour.
- Keep a lidded jug of tap water in the fridge.
- Add a slice of lemon or cucumber if you like the taste.
- Do not rely on boiling for chloramine. It does not drive it off the way it can with chlorine.
When a filter is worth buying
If the jug trick is not enough, an activated carbon filter targets taste and odour. Carbon filters are the usual choice for chlorine, and a jug or tap-top version is cheap to try before you commit to anything fixed under the sink.
Be honest about what you are buying. A carbon filter fixes taste. It does not turn poor-quality water into good water, and it needs its cartridge changed on time, or it can do more harm than good. For a whole-house option, see whole-house filters and decide whether the taste really justifies it.
For most households on mains water, doing nothing beyond the fridge jug is a perfectly good answer.
Ways to cut the chlorine taste, from cheapest up
Start at the top of this table and stop when the taste stops bothering you.
| Method | How it works | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Lidded jug in the fridge | Chlorine is a gas that escapes from standing water, and chilling hides the flavour | Check which disinfectant your supplier uses |
| Slice of lemon or cucumber | Changes the taste | Does not remove anything |
| Boiling | Can drive off some chlorine | Does not remove chloramine |
| Jug or tap-top carbon filter | Activated carbon targets taste and odour | Cartridge must be changed on time |
| Whole-house filter | Treats water at the point it enters the house | Fitting is licensed work in most states and territories |
For most households on mains water, the fridge jug is a perfectly good answer. See carbon filters and whole-house filters for what each one does and leaves alone.
How to find out what your supplier adds
Guessing from the smell is a poor measure, because people notice chlorine at very low levels. Check the facts instead.
- Find your supplier's water quality report. Look for the report for your supply area on your water authority's website.
- Check which disinfectant it uses. The report says whether it is chlorine or a chlorine and ammonia blend called chloramine. That decides whether boiling helps.
- Note when the smell is strongest. The level is often a little higher at the start of the network and lower at the end.
- Ask about recent maintenance. A sharper smell can follow maintenance work or a change in the water source, and it often fades within days.
- Separate it from other smells. Rotten eggs, fuel or earth is a different problem. Read about water that tastes metallic for the checks that separate a local cause from a supply one.
- Use the report, not your nose. Treat the report as the reference.
If you are on tank, bore or dam water, there is usually no added chlorine, and only an accredited NATA laboratory can say what is in it.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my tap water smell like a swimming pool?
Your supplier adds chlorine or chloramine to keep the water safe through the pipes. The smell is normal and often stronger near the start of the network or after maintenance.
Is chlorine in tap water safe?
Supplier dosing follows the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. If you are worried, read your supplier's water quality report or ask them directly.
Does boiling remove chlorine from water?
It can drive off some chlorine, but it does not remove chloramine. Letting a jug stand in the fridge works for chlorine, and a carbon filter helps with both.
Do I need a filter to remove chlorine?
Not unless the taste bothers you. A fridge jug is the cheapest fix, and a carbon filter is the next step.
Sources
What this page explains is based on these official sources. If you check one and it does not match what you read here, send it to us and the article gets corrected.
- NHMRC. Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
- Sydney Water. Water supply, wastewater and stormwater services