Can Reverse Osmosis Remove Chlorine and Chloramines in Tampa’s Water?

If you live in the Tampa Bay area, you’ve likely noticed a chemical-like taste or odor in your tap water. It’s often described as like pool water. That’s due to the City of Tampa using a combination of chlorine and chloramines in its water treatment process. These disinfectants are effective at controlling bacteria and viruses, but they also leave behind unpleasant side effects, especially for those who are chemically sensitive or prefer higher drinking water quality.

The good news is that both chlorine and chloramines can be removed if the right water filtration system is installed.

The City of Tampa sources its municipal water supply primarily from the Hillsborough River, with supplemental input from the Tampa Bypass Canal and regional reservoirs. Tampa’s water treatment facilities use a multi-step process designed to meet EPA guidelines while delivering potable water to homes and businesses. According to the 2024 Tampa Water

Quality Report, that process includes:

While these methods are effective for public health, they can impact taste and introduce disinfection byproducts like haloacetic acids.

Chlorine has been used in municipal water disinfection for over 100 years. It’s inexpensive and powerful, but it reacts with organic material to form regulated byproducts like trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. To reduce these, Tampa adds ammonia to the chlorine, creating monochloramine, a more stable disinfectant that persists through long pipe systems.

The drawback? Chloramines are harder to remove than chlorine. While activated carbon filters can handle chlorine effectively, chloramine removal requires longer contact time and specialized filtration media such as catalytic carbon. Without proper treatment, chloramines can remain in your drinking water and contribute to poor taste, respiratory problems, or equipment corrosion.

A reverse osmosis system purifies water by forcing it through a semipermeable membrane that blocks up to 99% of contaminants. These systems are widely used by aquarium hobbyists, reef tank owners, and homeowners looking to improve water quality. Key components of a typical RO/DI system include:

The reverse osmosis membrane can be damaged by chloramines if not properly pre-filtered. That’s why systems must include a high-grade carbon prefilter prevent degradation.

Culligan of Tampa offers reverse osmosis systems specifically tailored to Tampa’s chemical composition, including chlorinated water, hardness minerals, and disinfection byproducts.

Activated carbon filters are essential in water purification, but not all carbon types offer the same level of chloramine removal. Standard activated charcoal filters, or granular activated carbon can reduce some chlorine but are far less effective on chloramines. Catalytic carbon block filters are specifically engineered to break down chloramines with longer contact time.

In RO systems, this carbon stage is the first line of defense, ensuring chloramine residuals are reduced before water reaches the RO membrane. Systems like the Aquasential® Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filtration System from Culligan include advanced activated carbon filtration and catalytic media to handle Tampa’s water treatment challenges effectively.

According to the 2024 Water Quality Report, the city’s drinking water maintains a pH of approximately 7.91 and water hardness around 185 mg/L, placing it solidly in the hard water category. Chloramine levels remain within the EPA’s maximum limit of 4.0 mg/L. However, Tampa occasionally switches to free chlorine during system flushing events, which can lead to a temporary increase in chemical taste or odor.

This reinforces the value of a water filtration system that can adapt to seasonal shifts and protect against both chlorine and chloramines.

Beyond chloramines, Tampa’s water may contain:

Some residents use TDS meters or test kits to measure water purity and determine if further filtration is needed. Others experience visible effects like scale buildup, dry skin, or appliance wear due to high mineral content.

Boiling water won’t eliminate chloramines. In some cases, it may increase the concentration of certain byproducts, especially haloacetic acids. Bottled water is a short-term fix but leads to excess plastic waste and rising costs. Water conditioner drops are popular among aquarium hobbyists but aren’t practical for whole-home use.

A properly designed RO/DI Filter System provides a more complete, long-term solution. These filtration units reduce unwanted hitchhikers in reef tanks, protect biological filters, and enhance drinking water quality for households across Tampa.

Whole house filters, while helpful, don’t provide the same level of purification as a point-of-use reverse osmosis system. For those concerned about pressure drops or sediment issues, combining a water softener with an RO/DI unit can optimize water flow and filtration performance.

Culligan’s water specialists live and work in the Tampa Bay area. We stay informed about local municipal water disinfection practices, seasonal shifts, and system report updates. Every system we install is built with Tampa’s water in mind, from high mineral content to chloramine residuals and EPA-regulated contaminants.

Services include:

Culligan’s filtration units, including black & white undersinks and whole-house water softeners, are optimized for local use. Whether you’re dealing with asthma risks, hemolytic anemia triggers, or just poor water taste, we offer practical solutions for healthier, better-tasting water.