City Water Problem

Chlorine Taste In Cary, NC Water.

If your Cary tap water tastes like a swimming pool, you're not imagining it. The Triangle uses chloramines — a chlorine-ammonia disinfectant — and standard carbon filters don't handle it well. The fix is specific.

How You'll Know

The signs to look for.

Chlorine or 'pool water' taste at the kitchen tap

Strong chemical smell when running a hot shower

Itchy, dry skin after showering

Refrigerator and pitcher filters that don't fully remove the taste

Aquarium fish or reptile habitat issues from tap-fill water

What It Is

The cause, in plain English.

Cary, like most of Wake County, treats its water with chloramine instead of free chlorine. Chloramine is more stable through long distribution mains, so you actually taste and smell it at the tap. It's required for safe water through the system — but it doesn't have to be the last word in your home.

What We Install For It

The right system for the right problem.

Whole-home reduction calls for a catalytic carbon tank sized to your home's flow rate. Standard activated carbon doesn't fully handle chloramines — the catalytic version is what works. Most Cary homes pair a catalytic carbon tank with a softener, plus a reverse osmosis unit at the kitchen sink for drinking water.

See Whole-Home Carbon Filtration

Frequently Asked

Common questions, honest answers.

Find Out What's In Your Water.

Free in-home water test. We'll show you exactly what's in your water and what — if anything — to do about it.