City Water Series: What’s Really in City Water? Chloramine, DBPs & How to Remove Them
If your home relies on municipal water, the water leaving the treatment plant has already undergone extensive chemical disinfection. Without these disinfectants, harmful microbes—bacteria, viruses, protozoa—could spread rapidly through the system. But there’s a hidden side to this water treatment chemistry. When chlorine and chloramine react with naturally occurring organic matter, they form unintended chemicals known as disinfection byproducts (DBPs) . These include THMs, HAAs, nitrosamines, haloacetonitriles, haloketones, iodinated DBPs, and more—most of which never appear in your annual water report. This guide explains what chemicals cities add, how DBPs form, and the whole-house and point-of-use filtration systems that protect your family. Why Cities Add Chemicals to Your Water Cities use disinfectants to keep water microbiologically safe through miles of pipes: Free chlorine Chloramine (chlorine + ammonia) Chlorine dioxide Ozone UV light (n...