If you notice a different taste or feel in your tap water in Los Angeles County, chloramine may be a cause due to its routine use as a disinfectant. The San Gabriel Valley Water Co.-El Monte system serves nearly 250,000 people here, relying on groundwater treated with chloramine as a disinfectant component. Chloramine is included to maintain water quality through distribution, but its presence might prompt questions about household water conditions.

How your water changes after adding a chloramine filter

The C-Series Chloramine (City Water) Filter reduces chloramine at the tap

Once this filter is in place, the treated water you use in the home no longer carries chloramine at the same levels. This can help improve taste, reduce potential staining, and lessen exposure to chloramine during daily water use.

Water clarity and odor improve with chloramine removal

Because chloramine can affect aesthetic qualities, filtering it often results in clearer water without that distinctive chloramine-related smell.

Estimating if your daily demand fits the filter’s capacity

Assess the household’s average water use per day

Knowing your family’s daily water consumption helps determine whether the filter’s capacity will meet your demand without frequent servicing.

Consider peak usage times

Periods of high water use affect filter performance; matching the filter capacity to your peak demand ensures consistent chloramine reduction.

Steps to identify chloramine presence and rule out issues

Check if your water provider uses chloramine

The San Gabriel Valley Water Co.-El Monte system treats water with chloramine as part of its process codes 121, 145, 361, 421, 460, 580, and 600.

Note any sudden changes in taste or odor at faucets

Unexplained changes may indicate chloramine or other treatment chemicals influencing your water.

Test for chloramine using a laboratory certified for municipal water analysis

This confirms the actual chloramine level in your home’s tap water instead of relying solely on system-wide data.

Sources of chloramine in groundwater and delivery here

Groundwater treated with disinfectants including chloramine

The local water system draws from groundwater sources treated to meet distribution system quality, where chloramine is added to control microbial growth.

Maintaining chloramine residuals throughout the network

Water utilities keep chloramine levels stable in the infrastructure to ensure water safety until it reaches consumers.

Understanding laboratory reports on chloramine levels

Chloramine concentration reported as mg/L or ppm

Results indicate the amount of chloramine detected but do not alone determine water safety or violation status.

Compare lab reports to local water system data

Use system records from San Gabriel Valley Water Co.-El Monte to understand typical chloramine presence in your area.

Final decisive water test

Order a certified laboratory test specifically for chloramine in your home’s tap water. A quantified report will confirm the chloramine level unique to your household, guiding next steps for treatment such as adding a C-Series Chloramine (City Water) Filter which ships ready to configure for effective chloramine reduction.

Where this information comes from

Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2023-12-31. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.

On record: EPA SDWIS record for SAN GABRIEL VALLEY WATER CO.-EL MONTE (CA1910039), groundwater supply, serving 248000 people: 2 health-based violations of 3 total; lead 90th percentile 0 mg/L