Is there chlorine in my tap water?
Share
Part of our tap water guide
Your tap water smells a bit like a swimming pool. Is something wrong, or is that the point?
Short answer: Yes, a small amount. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) says water companies in England and Wales must keep a chlorine residual in the pipes, typically 0.5 mg/l or less, and most aim below 1 mg/l. The World Health Organization's guideline maximum is 5 mg/l. That is a typical network level, so your own tap can smell different.
By Andrew Tomlinson, WaterKit · Last reviewed 29 October 2026
Chlorine is there on purpose, and you can see what is at your own tap with a 20-in-1 strip that has free and total chlorine pads. First, what the official sources say.
Why is there chlorine in tap water at all?
To keep the water clean on its journey. The Drinking Water Inspectorate says the trace of chlorine left after the treatment works is there only to preserve the water's quality as it passes through the miles of pipes to your home or workplace. The DWI says it is a regulatory requirement in England and Wales for companies to disinfect their water and hold a residual chlorine concentration in the network. In England, regulation 26 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 requires water to be disinfected before it is supplied.
How much chlorine is in UK tap water?
Very little in England and Wales, which is what the DWI covers. The sources we read give no figures for Scotland or Northern Ireland. These are the figures side by side.
| Figure | Level | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Typical chlorine in tap water | 0.5 mg/l or less | DWI, free or combined chlorine |
| What most companies aim for | Below 1 mg/l | DWI |
| World Health Organization guideline maximum | 5 mg/l | WHO, as quoted by the DWI |
The DWI says levels in England and Wales are well below the WHO guideline. The WHO chlorine fact sheet gives 5 mg/l for free chlorine and adds that most individuals can taste chlorine at that value. We found no maximum for the residual itself in Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 of the 2016 Regulations. Schedule 1 does list taste and odour as "acceptable to consumers and no abnormal change" at consumers' taps.
The DWI says your water company will give you a free water quality report showing the maximum and minimum residual chlorine in your local supply on request, and that you can look up minimum and maximum levels for each company on the DWI website. The sources we read give no figure for individual areas, so we cannot give you yours.
Why might my tap smell stronger than the area figure suggests?
The area figure is an average, and your tap can differ for reasons the DWI describes.
- Distance from the works. The DWI says a property near a treatment works may get a little more chlorine than one several miles away, because companies must keep a minimum level at the remotest part of the network while keeping the maximum acceptable to all consumers. It adds that levels are occasionally not optimal.
- Maintenance. Higher levels are sometimes needed during work on the pipe network. The DWI says an occasional slight taste or smell is probably this, and will not be long lasting.
- Standing water. The DWI advises drawing off a washing-up bowlful after several hours without use, and says hot water and bathroom taps usually come from a loft storage tank and are not as fresh as mains water. Our guides explain the cold water tank and bathroom taps.
- Your own plumbing. The DWI says a TCP-like taste can point to home plumbing. A common cause is the hoses connecting appliances, and some plastic kettles and anti-splash devices in modern taps can also be the cause.
- You. The DWI says some people are very sensitive to chlorine's taste and smell, and its filters page says some people dislike the taste of tap water, especially when living somewhere different from where they grew up as a child.
“The area figure is only an average, so I would always check what comes out of your own cold kitchen tap before assuming it matches. Distance from the works, standing water and your own plumbing can all change what you smell, which is why a reading at home tells you more than a regional number.”
None of this shows what is at your tap. A reading there, at different times of day, can. Our home water testing guide covers the method.
When should I contact my water company?
If the smell or taste is particularly bad or strong, or TCP-like so that you cannot drink the water, or if it is new and does not go away in a short time. The DWI says to contact your water company immediately in those cases, and that it may point to a problem with your home plumbing.
How can I get rid of the chlorine taste?
Put a jug in the fridge. The DWI suggests placing a jug of tap water in the fridge for a short while, which reduces the chlorine smell and taste. Throw away any unused water after 24 hours and clean the jug regularly. The DWI says a clean, covered glass jug in the fridge is more cost-effective than buying a carbon filter. Our guides cover removing chlorine and filter jugs.
If you still want a filter, the DWI says to choose one containing activated carbon, follow the manufacturer's instructions and change the cartridge on schedule, because otherwise it stops working and can leach chemicals or bacteria.
How can I check the chlorine at my own tap?
With one strip, which indicates a band rather than an exact figure. Fill a clean glass or cup from the cold kitchen tap, dip one strip, wait 30 to 60 seconds and match the pads to the chart, or enter the colours in the free results portal. The free and total chlorine pads both read in steps of 0, 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 10 and 20 mg/l. In our reading of the chart, a tap at the typical 0.5 mg/l or less shows no colour change or the first step, and the 5 step matches the WHO guideline value.
The portal sorts a reading into three bands. The bands and suggested steps are WaterKit's own, not regulatory limits, and the top of the first band is the 1 mg/l most companies aim to stay below.
| Reading | WaterKit band | Suggested step |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1 mg/l | Typical residual | Compare it with the minimum and maximum in your water company's water quality report |
| Above 1 and up to 3 mg/l | High for a tap | Run the tap and test again later in the day. If it persists, tell your water company |
| Above 3 mg/l | Unusually high | Re-test with a fresh strip and report it to your water company |
A few limits apply. The pads show a band, not an exact figure. A chlorine reading does not identify what causes a smell, and the strip result is not a legal sample, so your water company's published results remain the reference for your supply. To see variation, test first thing after the water has stood, again after running the tap, and at another tap.
Best pack: 20 strips, enough to test your tap at different times of day and compare more than one tap, £5.99 (or £10.99 with a bacteria test), with free 2nd Class delivery on every order. See the kit
Your chlorine questions
Is there chlorine in UK tap water?
Yes. The DWI says water companies in England and Wales must disinfect the water and keep a residual chlorine concentration in the network, typically 0.5 mg/l or less.
How much chlorine is in tap water?
Typically 0.5 mg/l or less, according to the DWI. Most companies aim below 1 mg/l, and the WHO guideline maximum is 5 mg/l.
Why does my tap water smell of chlorine?
Usually the trace kept in the pipes or recent maintenance nearby, the DWI says. Your distance from the works, standing water and your plumbing can all change what you notice.
Does a jug in the fridge remove the taste?
The DWI says it reduces the chlorine smell and taste. Use the water within 24 hours and clean the jug regularly.
Can I look up the chlorine level in my area?
Ask your water company for its free water quality report, which the DWI says shows the maximum and minimum residual chlorine in your supply.
Sources
- Drinking Water Inspectorate, Chlorine (why chlorine is used, typically 0.5 mg/l or less, most companies aiming below 1 mg/l, the WHO guideline maximum of 5 mg/l, near a works versus the remotest part, maintenance, standing water, when to contact your water company, TCP-like tastes, the jug in the fridge, free water quality report on request; undated page; read 29 October 2026).
- Drinking Water Inspectorate, Domestic water filters and softeners (a covered glass jug in the fridge as the more cost-effective option, activated carbon, changing the cartridge, taste varying by region; undated page; read 29 October 2026).
- World Health Organization, Chlorine fact sheet (guideline value for free chlorine of 5 mg/l, most individuals able to taste chlorine at that value; undated PDF; read 29 October 2026).
- The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016, Schedule 1 (taste and odour), Schedule 2 and regulation 26 (disinfection; read 29 October 2026).
- AVForums, Does your tap water stink of Chlorine? (forum thread, paraphrased; an individual's account, not an official source; read 29 October 2026).
- WaterKit, Can you drink bathroom tap water in the UK?, Water Test Kit (20-in-1 strip, 30 to 60 second read, 20 strips £5.99 or £10.99 with a bacteria test, free 2nd Class delivery on every order, 30-day money-back guarantee) and results portal (the chlorine bands and our reading of the chart steps are WaterKit's own).
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.