One of the most common water quality complaints from Cary homeowners is the taste — and sometimes smell — of chlorine at the tap. If you've ever poured a glass of water and been reminded of a swimming pool, you know exactly what this feels like. The good news is that this is one of the simplest water quality issues to address.
Why Cary\'s Water Tastes Like Chlorine
The Town of Cary treats its water supply with disinfectants — typically chlorine or chloramines — to kill pathogens and keep the water safe as it travels through miles of distribution piping to your home. This is standard practice for all public water systems and is essential for preventing waterborne illness.
However, the residual disinfectant that remains in the water when it reaches your tap can be noticeable — particularly if you're sensitive to the taste or smell. Cary uses chloramines (a combination of chlorine and ammonia) as its primary residual disinfectant, which is more stable than chlorine alone but produces its own distinct taste and odor that some people find unpleasant.
Is Chlorinated Water Safe to Drink?
Yes. Water treated with chlorine or chloramines at appropriate levels is safe to drink. The disinfectants are used at carefully controlled concentrations that meet EPA standards. The issue is not safety — it's taste and quality of experience.
That said, chlorine and chloramine disinfection produces reaction byproducts — trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) — when disinfectants react with organic matter in the water. These byproducts are monitored and regulated, and Cary's water system is required to report them in its annual Consumer Confidence Report.
What Chloramine Tastes Like vs. Chlorine
Chloramines produce a slightly different taste and odor profile than free chlorine. Some people describe it as a \"medicinal\" or \"wet dog\" smell rather than the sharp pool-like smell of chlorine. If you've noticed this in Cary water, you're picking up on the chloramine disinfectant.
How to Remove Chlorine and Chloramines from Your Cary Water
Whole-Home Carbon Filtration
A whole-home activated carbon filter installed at the point of entry removes chlorine and chloramine from all water entering your home — tap water, shower water, bath water, and water used in appliances. This is the most comprehensive solution.
Under-Sink Carbon or RO Filter
If the primary concern is drinking and cooking water, an under-sink activated carbon filter or a reverse osmosis system at the kitchen tap effectively addresses taste and odor without treating the entire home's supply.
Important Note on Chloramines
Standard activated carbon filters handle chloramine, but it requires longer contact time than chlorine removal. Catalytic carbon media is specifically formulated for effective chloramine removal and is recommended when chloramine (rather than chlorine) is the primary disinfectant in use.
Better-Tasting Water Is Simple to Achieve
You shouldn't have to add a filter pitcher to your counter or buy bottled water to get great-tasting water in a Cary home. Effective, permanent solutions are available and more affordable than most homeowners expect.