Remove Chlorine, Taste & Odour from Water

Chlorine and chloramine are the most common water complaints in Australian homes. Water authorities dose mains supplies for disinfection — without it, the network would not be safe — and the chemicals remain in the water by the time it reaches your tap. Carbon filtration is the standard removal method.

The mechanism is straightforward: water passes through activated carbon, the chlorine reacts with the carbon surface, and what comes out the other side has no detectable chlorine taste. The same carbon also strips most volatile organic compounds (taste of plastic from old pipes, earthy taste from algae blooms, the faint petroleum smell some catchments pick up after heavy rain).

What you need to know:

• Carbon block (CTO) — denser, filters finer sediment, slower flow. Standard for under-sink and bench-top cartridges.
• Granular activated carbon (GAC) — loose carbon, faster flow, less sediment-capable. Used in whole-house systems where flow matters.
• KDF media — sometimes paired with carbon to extend life and add chlorine-removal capacity.

Carbon does not remove dissolved minerals, fluoride, sodium, or nitrates. If those are your problem, see the relevant problem pages — carbon is not the answer.

How to choose

• Town water, just want chlorine and taste gone? Single-stage carbon under-sink filter (10" × 2.5"). Sub-$200 systems with widely-stocked replacement cartridges.
• Want filtered water at every tap, including the shower? Whole-house carbon system. Removes chlorine before it hits skin and hair.
• Renting or no plumbing access? Bench-top carbon filter. Connects to the existing kitchen tap with a diverter.

Cartridge life is six to twelve months on most installs. The taste returning is the obvious sign it is time to replace; some people use a six-month calendar reminder regardless. Replacement cartridges are stocked for every system we sell.