Contaminant

Chloramine in drinking water

Also listed as Chloramines · Monochloramine · Combined chlorine

A longer-lasting chlorine-and-ammonia disinfectant. Harder to reduce than plain chlorine.

This page can’t tell you what’s in your tap water.

Only a test of water from your own tap can. Public-system results describe the system, not your home.

01Check your water systemWater Check · system results, not your tap 02Test your tapHow to get a reliable result 03Treatment approachesWhat can reduce it at the tap

On this page · 9 sections

01Reference values
02Is it in my water?
03Testing
04Water filters
05Treatment
06Evidence
07Next steps
08Ask about chloramine
09References

Reference values

A ceiling on a disinfectant added on purpose.

Each value says what kind of reference it is, and they mean different things. A lower or missing number never means water is safe.

Disinfectant limit · MRDLFederal · public water systems

4 ppm

A ceiling on a disinfectant utilities add on purpose to keep water safe in the pipes.

Applies to: Disinfectant in water a public system delivers
Status: In force
Source: EPA NPDWR MRDL (4.0 mg/L Cl2) · 40 CFR §141.65

Your stateNot held yetStates may set their own references. We don’t hold a state reference for chloramine yet.

Is it in my water?

Only a test of your own tap can tell.

Choose what you have. We’ll show what it can and can’t tell you.

If you haven’t tested

Nobody can tell without a measurement, including us.

Three things you can do, in this order.

Test water from your tapThis is the only way to know your level. Testing guidance ↓See what your system reportsSystem results aren’t a tap measurement. Open Water Check →On a private well?Public-system reports don’t cover wells. Open Well Water →

Testing

How to test your tap water for chloramine

Utilities sample to check system compliance. Your result reflects your own pipes and fixtures.

01Use a certified labA state-certified lab, or a kit that sends samples to one.
02Follow the sampling stepsHow and when you collect the water changes the result.
03Check the reportIt should state units and the detection limit.

Certified labNot sponsored

Use a state-certified labYour state keeps a list of labs certified for drinking water.

Choosing a filter for chloramine

None qualify

No products currently qualify for a chloramine pick here.

Nothing in our database has a chloramine claim for an exact configuration we can verify.

Find a fit in Finder Read treatment approaches

Treatment

How to reduce chloramine in water

Function: ReduceApproaches that can lower chloramine at the tap.

How to reduce chloramineIt needs more carbon contact time than chlorine, so catalytic carbon filters are the reliable route, while a basic pitcher may only partly reduce it. Look for an NSF/ANSI 42 filter that names chloramine specifically.

Whole-house systems and point-of-use filters treat different water. A whole-house system treats water where it enters the home; a point-of-use filter treats the tap it’s installed on. Check which one a claim is for.

Evidence

What the evidence means

We keep evidence types apart. A result for one configuration never stands in for another, and we never average across types.

No product in our database holds a reduction record for chloramine yet.

How we read evidence →

Next steps

Take the next step

Match a system to your homeFinder asks about your home first. It suggests chloramine as a starting point, and nothing counts until you confirm it.

Ask about chloramine

Still have a question?

Answers come only from WaterDecoder’s reviewed sources and show citations. Ask can’t interpret your test result or choose a product. Don’t include personal details.

AI assistant

Ask about Chloramine

Answers draw on cited public-health sources and the filters certified to reduce Chloramine. Every source is linked, and if the sources don’t cover a question, the answer says so.

Questions to start with

Educational information from cited sources. Not medical or professional advice.

References

Where these facts come from

1Regulatory reference40 CFR §141.65EPA NPDWR MRDL (4.0 mg/L Cl2)
2Knowledge BaseOverview of Drinking Water Treatment TechnologiesUS EPA (SDWA program)

Written and maintained by WaterDecoder. A review date appears only once we have confirmed one.