How to remove chlorine from tap water and drink safe water

Ah, the heady aroma of chlorine in water. You’ve probably all smelled it and may not have known what it was. It sometimes makes you feel as though you’re sitting in the swimming pool and not your bathtub!

Keeping the hundreds of thousands of kilometres of water pipes free of harmful bacteria which could make you very ill is no mean feat and the use of chlorine or chloramine is a tried and tested way of ensuring the water is safe as it flows from the water treatment works to your household taps.

In this article we’re going to focus on the use of chlorine as a preventative measure in water treatment, the pros, and cons of chlorine in tap water, answering the question of ‘is it safe to drink chlorinated water?’, and how to remove chlorine from tap water if you don’t want it in there.

What is chlorine?

Many people know that their water is chlorinated, so the answer to the common question ‘does tap water have chlorine?’, is a resounding YES. But what is chlorine?

We’re going to skip a lot of the science here but feel free to read all about chlorine on the internet or here. Chlorine is manufactured from table salt by electrolysis. The gas produced is liquified at high pressure and then transported for use in the water treatment industry. Chlorine penetrates the surface of the pathogens (‘the bugs!’), rendering them useless and no longer able to spread. They basically just die out.

The use of chlorine keeps your water germ-free and hygienic, preventing the spread of cholera, dysentery, and typhoid, all of which are incredibly nasty waterborne diseases.

Did you know that in 1897 Maidstone, England was the first to have its entire water supply treated with chlorine? More widespread use of chlorine as a highly efficient water disinfectant in the UK started in 1905.

If chlorine wasn’t used, bacteria, viruses and protozoans would quite happily grow and multiply at an alarming rate in water supply reservoirs, on the walls of water mains, and in water storage tanks. The people of the UK would be in a dire situation.

Chlorine is cheap and effective. If they didn’t’ add chlorine in tap water, you could become very ill.

If you’re on mains water in the UK, there will be chlorine present.

If you’re on a private water supply, there is no need to worry as you won’t have chlorine in your water.

How much chlorine is there in UK tap water?

England, Wales, and Scotland have very low levels of chlorine in tap water, typically 0.5 mg/l or less.

The World Health Organisation guidelines on maximum chlorine also state 5 mg/l.

This level can fluctuate for short periods if there is planned maintenance in the vast network of pipes. If the level rises, you’re more likely to smell or taste chlorine in your tap water. You may also notice it more if you live closer to the water treatment works.

Your local water company can provide a free water quality report which will give you information about the levels of chlorine in your drinking water.

What are the signs of chlorine in water?

The simplest way to describe the smell of chlorine is to liken it to bleach or other strong cleaning products. Or, if you’ve heard of TCP, it’s a bit like that.

It shouldn’t be so strong as to knock you off your feet and should normally not linger for long periods of time.

If you ever notice the smell of chlorine being particularly strong and your tap water becomes undrinkable then we recommend you contact your water company. You’ll find their contact details on one of your recent water bills.

Is chlorine safe to drink?

Because of the very low levels of chlorine present in tap water, it’s not unsafe to drink. As we’ve already mentioned, we’d be a lot worse off in the UK if they didn’t treat the water to make it potable. So, in terms of public health, the use of chlorine has been a resounding win.

However, just because the levels are low enough for it not to be unsafe to drink, chlorinated water can still have an impact on the human body. Depending on your level of sensitivity to it you might just be put off by the taste and smell of chlorine in your drinking water. For others, it may have more problematic effects.

If you’re at all unsure, the most pro-active thing to do is remove chlorine from water. Your health and well-being are your top priority.

Side effects of chlorine in drinking water

We’ve already answered the question of ‘does tap water have chlorine?’. The most logical next question is ‘what are the side effects of chlorine in drinking water?’

It’s important to remember that there are very low levels of chlorine in your water and therefore when you’re questioning is chlorine safe to drink, the answer is ‘it’s not unsafe’. However, there are some things we’d like to highlight as some people will be more sensitive to chlorine than others.

• Unpleasant taste and smell – even though there are very low levels of chlorine in tap water and therefore not unsafe people are very put off by the unpleasant taste and smell of chlorinated water. Some people are much more sensitive than others and will notice the differences when travelling to different parts of the UK. This is one of the main chlorine drinking water side effects and is a major push towards finding out how to remove chlorine from tap water.
• Breathing problems – it’s highly unlikely that you’ll experience breathing difficulties because of chlorine in your water unless you have existing lung and airway problems, and suffer from asthma, hay fever, or chronic bronchitis. Heavy smokers would also be included in this vulnerable group as they may be more susceptible to the effects of chlorine. It’s worth highlighting here that chorine in water isn’t the only household place it can be lurking. Many household cleaning products contain chlorine in much higher levels than water and contact with it may cause breathing difficulties. This of course depends on the way you are exposed and how long for. Minor symptoms would include a burning sensation of the eyes and throat with more serious symptoms being excessive coughing and/or breathing difficulties.
• Skin problems – this is another factor that prompts tap water chlorine removal. If you are extremely sensitive to chlorine, chlorinated water can have a drying and irritable effect on skin, and this can make it itchy and sore. For people who already suffer from skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, bathing or showering in water that contains residual levels of chlorine can exacerbate those problems. So instead of rushing to the pharmacy to buy bucket loads of hydrocortisone cream, remove chlorine from water first and see how you get on.
• Hair problems – dry, weak hair with an annoying itchy scalp is probably more of a problem if you are swimming multiple times a week and stripping your hair of its natural oils. The concentration of chlorine in water is much higher than washing your hair in the bath or shower at home. But again, this is an important factor when making the decision to remove chlorine from water as no one likes dull, lifeless hair.
• Chlorine and cancer – we suggest that you are very careful with what you read on the internet about chlorine and its links to cancer. Chlorine as a chemical disinfectant in water forms chemical by-products known as trihalomethanes (THM’s). It is THM’s that have caused the jungle drums to start beating and there is very little good quality data on the health effects of THMs. The risks associated with inadequate disinfection of water would be much greater. And you can eradicate that risk by filtering chlorine out of water. Prevention is always better than cure.
• Chlorine and pregnancy – again be very wary of what you read on the internet as there is very limited data available on the risk of chlorine by-products in pregnancy. If you are at all concerned find a water filter that removes chlorine.

How to remove chlorine from drinking tap water

We get asked ‘how to remove chlorine from tap water’ frequently and always share the very easy ways this can be achieved. If your water company is using chlorine as the primary disinfectant, then here are some ways to remove it. If your water company is using chloramine to disinfect the water, then we’ll look at how to remove chloramine in another article.  

Chlorine in water can be removed by standing, boiling, or filtering. 

Let’s look at each one of the methods to remove Chlorine from water in turn.

Standing

This is very simple because all you need to do is let your tap water breathe in the open air for up to 24 hours. Chlorine is a gas, so it just evaporates. We think you’d agree that this is a little time consuming and if you’re anything like us you’d forget to fill up your jug with water and leave it to stand for that length of time.

This also doesn’t remove chlorine from water that’s streaming out your shower or filling up your bath.   

Boiling water to remove chlorine

Does boiling water remove chlorine? This is a perfectly reasonable question, and the answer is yes.

Chlorine is very volatile in water and will eventually evaporate, hence why you can let it stand for up to 24 hours. But if you raise the temperature of the water, you can speed the process of evaporation up and instead of 24 hours it should only take 15-20 minutes. But if you’re boiling it to drink then you’ve got the problem of having to wait for it to cool down!

It takes roughly four minutes to remove 1mg of chlorine from 45 litres of water. Therefore, you’d need to know how much chlorine was in your water to determine how long to boil it.

This all seems rather complicated to us. Can you imagine relentlessly boiling pans of water for ever more. No, we can’t either! It may also cause an unwelcome spike in your gas or electricity bill.

You’d also have no idea how much chlorine you’re removing without getting your water analysed, either by doing it yourself with an at-home chlorine test kit or asking someone to carry out a water analysis test which would cost you money.

Filtering chlorine from water

We’ve mentioned letting your water stand and boiling your water to remove chlorine, but do water filters remove chlorine?

You’ll be pleased to hear that filtering chlorine out of water is easy and there are a few quick and practical ways to do it. Read the next section to find out how to filter chlorine from water.

Fountain Filters can help you remove chlorine from tap water

As water filtration experts in how to remove chlorine from water we can help guide you towards a solution that’s right for your home. It’s important for you to consider whether you just want to treat your kitchen tap or whether you want a whole house system, which will remove chlorine in tap water from kitchens, bathrooms, and utility rooms.

Drinking water filter

If you’re just looking for a drinking water filter system for home then our entry level chlorine and taste filter is the perfect tap water chlorine removal system for your kitchen tap. This is a high-performance drinking water filter that uses a carbon block filter cartridge that improves the taste and smell of your tap water and removes up to 95% of chlorine.

Whole house filter

Why stop at your kitchen tap when you can remove chlorine from water throughout your home using a mains water filter system.

Our best selling cold water tap filter Moby or the Doby whole house water filter system are the perfect starting point to chlorine free water for you and your family.

It’s important to choose the correct water filter for the size of your home. If you are unsure, we are here to help you. 

Reverse Osmosis

A reverse osmosis water system will remove chlorine from water as well as everything else. We highly recommend speaking to us first before considering an RO system as a means of removing chlorine in tap water.

Contacting us is easy. Call 01352 838 281 or use our very popular helpdesk to ask a question.

FAQ

Is chlorine in UK tap water?

Yes, chlorine is added to UK mains water to ensure that your tap water is free of harmful bacteria that could make you ill if your drank it.

Does chlorine in water evaporate?

Yes, chlorine is a gas and will evaporate. If you leave a glass of water to stand in the open air for up to 24 hours, it will be chlorine free.

How to remove chlorine from tap water?

There are three main ways to remove chlorine from tap water. Leave it to stand in the open air for up to 24 hours, boil the water, or install a drinking water filter or whole house water filter that contains a carbon block water filter cartridge.