When it comes to treating water in commercial settings, there are many different systems and ways to go about it. With an increasing number of water treatment plants starting to use chloramine instead of chlorine to disinfect water, finding chloramine-specific reduction systems is important. Much like chlorine, chloramine has an unpleasant taste and odour, while also making water more corrosive and, because of that, regular dechlorination systems will not effectively remove chloramine.
Our guide below will explain the advantages and disadvantages of CRS, explain what it is, and provide the best chloramine reduction systems in Canada.
What is a Chloramine Reduction System (CRS)?
CRS, or Chloramine Reduction Systems, are systems available for residential or commercial businesses that work to reduce the amount of chloramine in water for consumption or industrial uses. Regular systems designed to reduce chlorine will not effectively get rid of chloramine, despite it being a similar type of chemical to better help with treating water. Chloramine is unpleasant to smell and taste, and it can make the water itself corrosive. Having a CRS installed can make a world of difference if your water is being treated with chloramine instead of chlorine.
In the last decade, chloramine use for disinfection has nearly doubled, with an estimated 35-40 percent of municipalities using chloramine instead of chlorine. Some locations do occasionally switch between disinfecting with chlorine or chloramine, depending on any temporary changes in water conditions and the market cost of disinfectants. Industry analysts expect the growth trend in chloramine usage to continue. Water treatment facilities have disinfected water for decades to deactivate organisms that may pose any health risks or ruin machines further, such as high mineral counts with hard water or other issues that can arise. Public utilities may chlorinate the water supply several times during the treatment process, often including a final step before releasing the treated water into the distribution system.
Advantages, benefits, and how CRS works
There are over 300,000+ public water systems in North America that serve approximately 90 percent of the population. Nearly all of the water utilities use either chlorine or chloramine as part of the treatment process. Utilities are required annually to provide annual water reports, and that tells you where your water comes from and what is in it, including chlorine or chloramine. That said, water treatment is also a large and important part of industrial uses and for businesses, not just residential usage. Maintaining a level of disinfectant in the water as it travels through the system is critical, but as the water gets used residentially, the chlorine and chloramine can pose problems such as dry skin, hair, ruined rubber seals, bad tastes, and odours.
CRS can help diminish those issues and keep machines running more efficiently, while also saving money in the long run by ensuring maintenance and use are easy and done well.
Our methodology
For this guide, we have spent hours researching and reading for the best chloramine reduction systems available across Canada that are available for a wide range of products that serve most commercial needs, while ensuring that they are all highly rated and well-liked by consumers.
The Top CRS (Chloramine Reduction Systems) in Canada
RainFresh CSR Filters
Features
RainFresh commercial chloramine/chlorine reduction filter is designed to efficiently and effectively reduce chloramines and chlorine from water supplies. It features high grade activated carbon media with catalytic functionality for > 95% chloramine and chlorine reduction at the rated flow rate. Chloramine and chlorine reduction systems can be used in a variety of applications such as municipal drinking water, healthcare, food service/restaurants, beverage or good manufacturing, schools, clinics, laboratories, and more.
When water flows through the system, chloramines and chlorine is instantly removed and filtered water passes out for use. The system features a fully automatic backwash cycle after a pre-set time interval to remove trapped dirt in the filter and to prevent any channeling that may occur. Some features for this filter are:
- Fully adjustable, 5-cycle control delivers upflow backwash, slow rinse, rapid rinse, and down flow service
- Designed for single tank or multi-tank systems, alternating or interlocking
- Continuous flow rate of up to 250 GPM
- Protective UV-stable, water and corrosive resistant
- NEMA 3R enclosure
- Choice of 7 or 12 day clock or meter initiated regeneration
- Valve body constructed of lead-free brass
- Regeneration by actual countdown of water usage or time-clock
- Fully programmable individual cycles
- Optional no-hard water bypass
The NXT network controller uses on-board communication capabilities to link multiple commercial valves (via CAT-3 cables) It has a 2×16 character back-lit display, networks up to four valves, easy installation with plug in wiring harnesses, front panel diagnostics button, and five configurable cycle steps, with three programming levels. User mode, Master programming, diagnostics mode, and a remote signal start so that it doesn’t need to be started directly on the box itself.
Aquatell
Features
Aquatell has many different chloramine filter systems available, with their most popular selection being the Pentek brand that are designed by Pentair, who is a trusted company that specializes in a wide range of water systems that are for both commercial and residential use. They can be contacted for any questions you may have.
The Hydroflow chloramine reduction filter cartridge is ideal for chloramine reduction designed for the efficient reduction of chloramine and chlorine. It has:
- 1 micron nominal rating
- Fits in big blue 20” filter housings
- 16.0 psi pressure drop at 1 gpm
- 24,000 gallon chloramine removal capacity at 1 gpm
- Lead free
- Polypropylene end caps
- Polyolefin outer cover
- Santoprene gaskets
- Ships from Canada
These can be used in commercial settings and are highly rated for businesses, as well as any residential homes that may use this size of chloramine filter for whichever need you may have that it works for.
The Pentek ChlorPlus 20BB is a carbon block filter cartridge designed the reduction of chloramine, and is 1-micron rated just like the above cartridge as well.
- 20” x 4 ½” format
- 1-micron nominal rating
- 2.5 psi pressure drop at 5 gpm
- 200,000 gallon chloramine reduction capacity at 4 gpm
- 7,000 gallon chloramine reduction capacity at 4 gpm
- Advanced bonded PAC filter media
- Polypropylene end caps
- Polyolefin outer cover
- Santoprene gaskets
Windsor Pure & Clean
Features
Kinetico’s chloramine reduction systems, usually installed in conjunction with a Kinetico water softener, are single-tank solutions to filter chloramine from your home or business’ water supply. Everything available from Kinetico via Windsor Pure & Clean. The backwashing filter is a dual-tank system that filters turbidity and raises pH, eliminating corrosion problems from acidic water, and uses coconut shell carbon media for whole house removal of chlorine, tastes, odours and more from treated water. The chloramine reduction system eliminates those problems as mentioned, from municipal water for residential or commercial use.
Canadian Water Warehouse
Features
As stated before, chloramines are a combination of chlorine and ammonia used to control bacterial growth in water distribution systems and to reduce THMs (trihalomethanes) Chloramine in water can cause a host of issues including digestive and gastric and can make hair and skin dry. Removing chloramines at the beginning of the cycle is more difficult than removing jus chlorine. Standard granular activated carbon (GAC) or regular carbon block products have limited capacity for chloramine reduction. Canadian Water Warehouse offers a vast selection of full technical support, installation, and service.
The chloramine removal backwash filter with clack WS1TC control valve that works with carbon is a highly regarded CRS that comes in three different sizes of 1.2 cu Ft, 1.6 cu Ft, and 2.2 cu Ft. The features include:
- Activated catalytic carbon media
- Down flow system design
- Patented fiberglass reinforced tank
- Automatic backwash function
- Brass, lead free plumbing connectors ¾” or 1”
- Bypass valve
The other benefits include:
- Removes chloramines taste and odour
- Premium water efficient control valve
- Does not use any harsh chemicals
- Fully automatic operation and simple programming
- Washed gravel under bed provides extra filtration and enables proper cleaning of filter media
Reef Supplies
Features
Reef Supplies Canada has the Matrikx ChloraGuard Chloramine Removal Carbon Block – 1uM, powered by GreenBlock technology. Engineered with catalytic carbon media, these filters excel in eliminating chloramine, chemicals, chlorine taste and odour, and more which makes them ideal for commercial, residential, and even aquarium water purification needs. From industrial effluent water treatment to food service applications, product rinse, processing water, pre and post RO systems, the Matrikx Chloraguard filters delivers unparalleled performance. Certified by WQA to NSF/ANSI 42 standards for material requirements, Matrikx has been at the forefront of water filtration since 1996, consistently pushing boundaries and providing innovative solutions. Their latest advancement incorporates high-performance catalytic carbon technology, that boosts chlorine capacity by 50% and setting new industry standards for chloramine reduction.
Matrikx is set apart with their commitment to quality, crafted from 100% coconut shell activated carbon, their filters undergo rigorous testing in ISO 9001 & 14001 certified facilities, ensuring superior performance. Moreover, they are certified for sustainability by WQA and meet safety standards to be efficient, easy to use, and environmentally friendly.
What is chloramine, and why do municipalities use it?
Chloramine is chlorine mixed with ammonia. Many municipalities have started using chloramine instead of chlorine, as it is more stable and persistent than chlorine by itself. It preserves the quality of the system and the purified water as it travels through the water distribution system. Chloramine helps to reduce disinfection by-products, such as THMs into the water. Chloramine also reduces the taste and odour of chlorine itself in tap water when you’re drinking it.
Is chloramine safe?
Yes. Chloramine has been safely used in Canada and the United States for many years. Many water utilities are in the process of switching to chloramine because of its benefits compared to simply using chlorine alone.
What are THMs? (Trihalomethanes)
THMs are chemical compounds that form when chlorine mixes with naturally occurring organic material in the water. These compounds are suspected carcinogens. The MOE and Health Canada have set a standard of 100 parts per billion (ppb) as the safe maximum level of THMs in drinking water, based on a lifetime of consumption. One ppb is comparable to one second in 32 years, or 1 cent in $10,000,000.
Why aren’t all communities using chloramine yet?
While most assume that all public drinking water is the same, the local raw water and water distribution conditions determine the best option for each particular community. Both chloramine and chlorine have their advantages and disadvantages, and with different pipes and other factors, which one gets used to can vary. Given sufficient contact time, chloramine is as effective as chlorine in destroying bacteria. And while chlorine works more quickly, it does not last in the water as long as chloramine does.
