Chlorine taste in tap water is extremely common, completely safe, and easy to fix.
Chlorine taste is unpleasant but entirely harmless. The UK legal limit (0.5 mg/L) is well below any level of concern.
Chlorine is deliberately added to all UK mains water as a disinfectant — it kills bacteria during the journey from treatment works to your tap. This is a legal requirement. All water companies must maintain a detectable residual of chlorine throughout the distribution network.
The taste is more noticeable when:
No. You can taste chlorine at around 0.1 mg/L. The UK legal maximum is 0.5 mg/L. The World Health Organisation's health-based guideline is 5 mg/L — ten times higher than the UK legal limit. At the concentrations present in UK drinking water, chlorine poses no health risk.
You do not need to contact your water company for normal chlorine taste. However, call them if:
Your water company's number is on your bill and usually 24-hour for water quality concerns.
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Frequently asked questions
No. Chlorine is added legally by all UK water companies and is safe at the levels used. The UK legal limit is 0.5 mg/L — you can taste it from around 0.1 mg/L, well below any level that would cause harm.
Fill a jug and leave it uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes — chlorine is volatile and evaporates. An activated carbon filter jug (such as a Brita) removes chlorine quickly and effectively. Boiling water also removes it.
Water companies sometimes increase chlorine dosing seasonally (especially summer) or after maintenance work on the distribution network. If the taste is much stronger than usual or has an unusual chemical edge, contact your water company.
Chlorine in tap water at UK levels is safe for making infant formula. NHS guidelines recommend using freshly boiled tap water — the boiling process removes any residual chlorine taste. Let it cool to at least 70°C before use.
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