What is chlorine in drinking water, and how is it removed?

Municipal utilities add chlorine to control microorganisms as water travels through the distribution system. At normal utility levels, some homeowners still notice a swimming-pool-like taste or odor, making chlorine an aesthetic concern for them.

Activated carbon can reduce chlorine by adsorbing it onto the carbon’s surface. Chloramine, which some utilities use instead of free chlorine, may require different media or longer contact time, so treatment should be based on the disinfectant actually present.