Water filters are nowadays a universal symbol of pure water. People tend to feel safer while drinking filtered water, even if the water quality is adequate.
Such overwhelming popularity of water filters grows from the ability to offer protection against various contaminants. One of which is Chlorine.
But, can water filters get rid of Chlorine from the water? In this post, we’ll be answering all your questions about whether water filters can wipe out Chlorine or not.
Let’s go.
Does tap water contain Chlorine?
Tap water coming from municipal water treatment plants will contain dissolved Chlorine to some extent. That’s because these treatment facilities use chlorine to disinfect water.
Most of us get our tap water from various public water supply organizations. They receive water from natural water bodies like lakes and rivers. Typically, this water contains a variety of organic pollutants.
That’s why there are water treatment plants near most urban areas. Inside a treatment plant, water flows through several chambers for purification purposes.
The final stage of purification is Chlorination. As you can guess, disinfectants like Chlorine and Chloramine get added to the water. Chlorine, an oxidizing agent, reacts with the microbes and renders those ineffective.
A portion of the added Chlorine tapes into the water coming into our home. And, using a water test kit, you can find out the fractional amount of Chlorine in water. According to CDC, if the Chlorine level in the water is below 4ppm, the water is safe for drinking.
So, you see, if you get your water from public water treatment plants, you will find Chlorine in it. Even if you have a private well, there will be Chlorine, but the amount will be negligible.
Want to know more about water treatment plants? Check out our post here.
Why is Chlorine added to water?
Chlorine is an oxidizing agent which reacts with organic compounds and micro-organisms in the water. As a result, the organic pollutants become ineffective, and the water becomes sterile. That’s why Chlorine is such a crucial disinfectant.
If you’re familiar with chemistry, you know that Chlorine is a highly reactive element. Chlorine, when added to water, forms a compound called Hypochlorous acid.
The acid reacts with the germs and microbes in the water. Eventually, most of the germs die, and the rest become ineffective. That’s why the water treatment plants use Chlorine as a disinfector.
In an expert view, the hypochlorous acid reacts with the cell membranes of the bacteria and other germs. As a result, the microorganisms get killed. So, you see, Chlorine and Chloramine are excellent disinfectors.
In a nutshell, water treatment plants use chlorine to kill germs from the water. Some of that make their way into our homes as tap water. Chlorine helps get rid of the harmful organic components from the water. These components get added as water flows from one point to another through the water cycle.
Want to find out more about the water cycle? Check out our post here. Also, you can visit our article on water treatment plants to learn how those work.
Can water filters remove Chlorine?
Any water filter that contains a CTO chamber will remove a significant portion of Chlorine from water. Here CTO stands for Chlorine, taste, and odor. As the name suggests, the CTO water filter gets rid of the Chlorine and organic odors from water.
CTO water filters contain activated Carbon. It works like a trap as Chlorine molecules get latched onto the CTO frame. On the other hand, water molecules can effortlessly flow through the CTO without getting trapped.
The trick behind using activated Carbon is increased surface area. The CTO filter can be of two shapes: granular and block. Either way, both have microscopic pores for water to flow.
Tap water enters the CTO chamber and passes through the pores. But, the Chlorine and Chloramine molecules get caught on the surface of the Carbon Block filters or Granular Carbon filters.
So, you can realize that you need CTO filters to remove Chlorine from water. Sediment filters can only trap clay, sand, and dust particles. But, those have little to no effect when it comes to Chlorine.
Even only reverse osmosis membrane is not enough. The truth is RO membranes get damaged when they face Chlorine and Chloramine. That’s why most RO filters provide a layer of activated carbon filters prior.
So, if you’re looking to wash away Chlorine from the water, you can certainly invest in a RO water filter. A RO filter comes with several pre-filters and post-filters. These are primarily Activated Carbon filters. So, you won’t need to worry about Chlorine in water.
Are you looking for a robust reverse osmosis water filter? Check out our post here. Not confident enough on RO water filters? Worry not. You can check out this Aquasana water filter that only consists of sediment and activated carbon filters. Check it out here.
Here is an infographic showing all the aspects of the article at once. Take a look.
Conclusion
According to CDC, your drinking water should have less than 4ppm of Chlorine. In other words, you need to keep the Chlorine level in check.
Throughout this post, we tried to discuss how water filters can help you in your quest to get rid of Chlorine. Just install a Reverse osmosis membrane with a CTO pre-filter.
The activated carbon filter will be more than enough to reduce the Chlorine level in the water. You can check out our post here to find out the best reverse osmosis water filters.
So, did we answer all your questions on water filters and Chlorine? We hope so. But, if you still have some questions left, shoot those in the comments. Also, check out our blog page here to find more informative articles. Cheers!!!
