Does a Brita filter remove chloramine?

Standard Brita MAXTRA+ cartridges use granular activated carbon (GAC) which is designed for free chlorine removal. Against chloramine, GAC provides 10-30% reduction at gravity flow rates — largely ineffective for the primary disinfectant in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, and parts of Perth. TAPP Water block carbon or Clearly Filtered provide better chloramine reduction than standard Brita pitchers.

What is the difference between chlorine and chloramine in water?

Free chlorine is a simple disinfectant that dissipates quickly in distribution systems and is easy to remove with standard activated carbon. Chloramine (monochloramine) is formed by combining chlorine and ammonia — it is more stable over long pipe runs and creates fewer regulated disinfection byproducts than free chlorine. However, chloramine requires catalytic carbon or RO for effective residential removal, unlike free chlorine which standard carbon handles well.

Does reverse osmosis remove chloramine?

Yes — reverse osmosis removes chloramine effectively alongside fluoride, PFAS, and dissolved minerals. For households in chloramine cities who also want fluoride or PFAS removal, an under-sink RO system addresses all concerns simultaneously. The carbon pre-filter stage in most RO systems should use catalytic carbon for best performance in chloramine-treated water.

Why does my new water filter not seem to be improving the taste in Sydney?

The most common reason is that the filter uses standard GAC rather than catalytic carbon. Sydney Water uses chloramine across most of its network, and standard carbon filters provide minimal chloramine reduction. Ask your supplier specifically whether the media is catalytic. If they cannot confirm this in writing, the system is likely standard GAC and will not meaningfully address Sydney's chloramine taste.

Best Water Filter for Chloramine Australia 2026

Which Australian cities use chloramine

Chloramine (monochloramine) is used as the primary disinfectant in five of Australia’s eight capital cities and progressively across their surrounding regions. The switch from free chlorine to chloramine began in Australia in the early 2000s and is now near-complete in several states.

City / Region	Disinfectant	Filter implication
Sydney (all zones)	Chloramine	Catalytic carbon required
Brisbane (all zones)	Chloramine — 100% of network	Catalytic carbon required
Adelaide (most zones)	Free chlorine (high dose)	Standard carbon sufficient
Perth — southern zones (desal)	Chloramine	Catalytic carbon required
Perth — northern zones (groundwater)	Free chlorine (most)	Standard carbon sufficient
Canberra (all zones)	Chloramine	Catalytic carbon required
Melbourne (most suburbs)	Free chlorine	Standard carbon sufficient
Melbourne (Yarra Valley Water outer east)	Chloramine	Catalytic carbon required
Darwin	Free chlorine	Standard carbon sufficient
Hobart	Free chlorine (very low residual)	Standard carbon sufficient

⚠ Perth requires you to check your specific supply zone before selecting filter media. Northern suburbs (Gnangara groundwater) use free chlorine in most zones. Southern suburbs (desalination blend) use chloramine. Water Corporation provides a suburb lookup tool at watercorporation.com.au.

Why standard carbon does not remove chloramine

Standard granular activated carbon (GAC) — used in most pitchers, basic benchtop units, many shower filters, and most entry-level whole-home systems — is designed and optimised for free chlorine removal. Against chloramine, the same media provides approximately 10–30% reduction at typical household flow and contact times.

The difference comes down to the chemical reaction. Free chlorine adsorbs rapidly onto carbon surfaces and dissociates. Chloramine requires a different reaction — catalytic decomposition rather than simple adsorption — which standard carbon surfaces are not configured for.

Catalytic carbon is a form of activated carbon that has been specifically modified (typically through high-temperature treatment or surface activation) to accelerate the decomposition of chloramine. Catalytic grades including Jacobi Aqua Sorb CS, Norit catalytic, and Centaur are effective where standard GAC is not.

How to confirm a filter uses catalytic carbon

Before purchasing any filter for a chloramine city, confirm the following:

Ask the supplier: "Is the activated carbon in this system catalytic grade?" Get a written answer — not just "yes it removes chlorine".
Check NSF certification at nsf.org. NSF 42 covers taste and odour improvement, which can include either free chlorine or chloramine. The specific listing will state which. A system certified for free chlorine only is not verified for chloramine.
Look for the specific carbon grade in product documentation. Brand names like "catalytic carbon", "Centaur", "Jacobi CS", "KDF-55" (different technology — also limited for chloramine) should be specified.

KDF-55 (a zinc-copper alloy media) is effective for free chlorine but provides minimal chloramine reduction. Some shower filters and inline filters use KDF-55 as the primary media. For shower filters in chloramine cities — Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra — KDF-55-only systems are largely ineffective. Look for catalytic carbon or vitamin C as the active media.

Filter types and chloramine effectiveness

Filter type	Chloramine effectiveness	Key requirement
Catalytic carbon block — under-sink	✓ Effective (90%+)	Confirm media is catalytic, not standard GAC
Catalytic carbon — whole-home	✓ Effective	Higher bed volume = longer contact time = better removal
Reverse osmosis	✓ Effective	Removes chloramine and all dissolved contaminants
Standard GAC — any format	✗ Ineffective (10–30%)	Wrong media for chloramine
Brita and standard pitchers	✗ Minimal	MAXTRA+ uses standard GAC
KDF-55 shower filters	✗ Very low	KDF targets free chlorine, not chloramine
Vitamin C shower filters	✓ Effective for shower	Neutralises chloramine on contact — shower use only
Standard benchtop carbon	✗ Minimal	Check media type before purchasing

The shower filter chloramine problem

Shower exposure to chloramine deserves specific attention. In a 10-minute shower, you inhale vaporised water and absorb chemicals through skin — some research suggests total chloramine exposure during a shower can exceed exposure from drinking several glasses of the same water.

For shower filters in chloramine cities, two technologies work:

Catalytic carbon shower filters: Effective but rare. Most shower filters sold in Australia use KDF-55 or standard GAC which are largely ineffective against chloramine. Confirm media type before purchasing.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) shower filters: Neutralise chloramine immediately on contact via a chemical reaction. Highly effective for chloramine. Cartridges exhaust faster (typically 2–3 months) than carbon shower filters but are reliable for chloramine.

Recommendations by city

Sydney

Under-sink catalytic carbon block for drinking water. Vitamin C or catalytic carbon shower filter. Confirm all systems specify catalytic grade media.

$400–$900 installed under-sink + $60–$150 shower filter

Brisbane

100% chloramine across all zones — catalytic carbon is essential for any taste improvement. The most commonly wasted filter purchase in Queensland is a standard GAC system that provides near-zero benefit.

Same as Sydney

Canberra

Catalytic carbon required. Canberra also has moderate hardness (80–150 mg/L) — an RO system addresses both chloramine and hardness at the drinking tap in one system.

$600–$1,500 installed RO

Perth — Southern suburbs

Check zone at watercorporation.com.au first. If chloramine-treated, catalytic carbon required. If groundwater zone, standard carbon sufficient.

Zone check first, then select accordingly

Melbourne — outer east (Yarra Valley Water)

Confirm zone at yvw.com.au or sewater.com.au. If chloramine zone, catalytic carbon required. Most Melbourne suburbs use free chlorine where standard carbon is sufficient.

Zone check first

Frequently asked questions

Does a Brita filter remove chloramine?: Standard Brita MAXTRA+ cartridges use granular activated carbon (GAC) which is designed for free chlorine removal. Against chloramine, GAC provides 10-30% reduction at gravity flow rates — largely ineffective for the primary disinfectant in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, and parts of Perth. TAPP Water block carbon or Clearly Filtered provide better chloramine reduction than standard Brita pitchers.
What is the difference between chlorine and chloramine in water?: Free chlorine is a simple disinfectant that dissipates quickly in distribution systems and is easy to remove with standard activated carbon. Chloramine (monochloramine) is formed by combining chlorine and ammonia — it is more stable over long pipe runs and creates fewer regulated disinfection byproducts than free chlorine. However, chloramine requires catalytic carbon or RO for effective residential removal, unlike free chlorine which standard carbon handles well.
Does reverse osmosis remove chloramine?: Yes — reverse osmosis removes chloramine effectively alongside fluoride, PFAS, and dissolved minerals. For households in chloramine cities who also want fluoride or PFAS removal, an under-sink RO system addresses all concerns simultaneously. The carbon pre-filter stage in most RO systems should use catalytic carbon for best performance in chloramine-treated water.
Why does my new water filter not seem to be improving the taste in Sydney?: The most common reason is that the filter uses standard GAC rather than catalytic carbon. Sydney Water uses chloramine across most of its network, and standard carbon filters provide minimal chloramine reduction. Ask your supplier specifically whether the media is catalytic. If they cannot confirm this in writing, the system is likely standard GAC and will not meaningfully address Sydney's chloramine taste.