top of page
Chlorine In Our Water

Chlorine Taste & Smell in Australian Tap Water

If your tap water occasionally smells like a swimming pool or has a noticeable chemical taste, chlorine may be the reason.

Chlorine is not simply an unwanted chemical added to drinking water. It plays an important role in protecting public water supplies from microorganisms as water travels from the treatment plant through reservoirs and kilometres of distribution pipework to your home.

But people vary considerably in how sensitive they are to taste and smell. Some barely notice chlorine, while others can detect it at relatively low concentrations.

So why is chlorine there, when should a change in taste or smell be investigated, and what can you do if you simply prefer drinking water without the chlorine taste?

​

Why is chlorine added to drinking water?

Chlorine is widely used by Australian water utilities as a disinfectant.

Treatment plants remove particles and microorganisms using several treatment processes, but a disinfectant residual also provides ongoing protection while water travels through the distribution system.

The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines set a health-based guideline value of 5 mg/L for total chlorine, but chlorine can be detected by smell at concentrations far below that. NHMRC notes an odour threshold of around 0.6 mg/L, with some particularly sensitive people detecting concentrations as low as 0.2 mg/L. NHMRC Guidelines

That distinction is important:

Being able to smell chlorine does not mean your water contains an unsafe concentration of chlorine.

​

Chlorine versus chloramine

Not every Australian water supply uses exactly the same disinfection process.

Some utilities use chloramine, which is created from chlorine and ammonia. Monochloramine is more persistent than free chlorine, making it useful in long distribution systems where a disinfectant residual needs to remain effective for a considerable distance.

NHMRC notes that chloramination has been used in Australian pipelines extending more than 100 kilometres. NHMRC Guidelines

That persistence also matters when choosing a filter.

A filter demonstrating good chlorine reduction should not automatically be assumed to provide the same performance for chloramine. If chloramine is your concern, look for specific evidence that the filter has been tested for chloramine reduction.

​

Why does the chlorine taste seem stronger sometimes?

The taste of the same water can change.

Factors can include:

  • changes in treatment and disinfectant residual

  • water temperature

  • distance from the treatment plant or reservoir

  • changes in the distribution system

  • individual sensitivity to taste and smell

  • other naturally occurring compounds in the source water

Australian drinking-water guidance also recognises that taste and odour can come from biological activity, source-water compounds and treatment processes—not just chlorine. NHMRC Guidelines

So an unusual taste isn't necessarily proof that chlorine is responsible.

​

What about earthy or musty tap water?

Earthy, musty or unusual tastes can sometimes originate from naturally occurring biological compounds in source water rather than disinfectant.

If there has been a sudden, significant change in the smell or taste of your water—particularly if neighbours are experiencing the same thing—it is worth checking notices from your local water utility.

If only one tap is affected, household plumbing or the fitting itself may instead be responsible.

​

Can chlorine be filtered?

Yes.

Activated-carbon filtration is widely used for chlorine and taste-and-odour reduction. NSF/ANSI 42, for example, includes certification claims for chlorine and taste/odour reduction. NSF International

However, filter performance depends on more than simply whether a cartridge contains carbon.

Factors include:

  • the amount and type of carbon

  • water flow rate

  • contact time

  • chlorine or chloramine concentration

  • cartridge age

  • the volume of water already treated

This is why independent test results and clearly stated performance claims are more useful than broad claims such as "purifies water."

​

What type of water filter should I use for chlorine?

That depends on how much water you want to treat.

A gravity or benchtop filter can be a simple solution for drinking water without requiring permanent plumbing.

An under-sink filter provides filtered drinking water directly at the kitchen.

A whole-house carbon system treats water before it is distributed around the home and may be preferable where reducing chlorine throughout showers, bathrooms and household taps is the goal.

If your water utility uses chloramine, confirm that the selected filter has appropriate supporting performance information.

​

Should I be worried if I can smell chlorine?

Usually, smell alone isn't enough to tell you whether there is a water-quality problem.

For example, Sydney Water advises that a metallic or chlorine taste or smell can occur from the disinfectant used to keep drinking water safe, and recommends contacting the utility where a change cannot be readily explained. Sydney Water

If there is a sudden strong chemical odour, unusual colour, persistent change or official water-quality incident, check with your water supplier rather than assuming a household filter is the answer.

​​

Reduce chlorine throughout your home

If chlorine smell bothers you in the shower, bath or at several taps, a whole-house filter may be worth considering.

Our Premium Whole House Water Filter treats incoming water before it is distributed around your home. It combines sediment filtration, a MATRIKX® CTO Plus carbon block for chlorine, taste and odour reduction, and an Aragon Plus cartridge for additional filtration.

It is an option for households wanting chlorine reduction across drinking, cooking, showering and bathing. Performance depends on water quality, flow rate and timely cartridge replacement.

Explore the Premium Whole House Water Filter →

​

Just want to reduce chlorine in the shower?

A Sprite shower filter provides a targeted option for households mainly concerned about chlorine smell while showering.

Sprite filters use Chlorgon® filtration media to reduce free chlorine in shower water. Our range includes wall-mounted filtered shower heads, handheld models and inline options, with replaceable cartridges.

A shower filter treats water at that shower only. Choose a model that suits your fittings and follow its cartridge-replacement instructions.

Explore Sprite Shower Filters →

​

​

Sources & Further Reading

​

bottom of page