This page is a complete buying guide for whole-house chlorine filters for city water. It covers: which chlorine filter to buy by household size and disinfectant (free chlorine vs chloramine, from your utility's Consumer Confidence Report); non-backwashing Clack C1190 upflow filters vs backwashing Fleck 2510SXT systems, all running Centaur catalytic carbon by Calgon Carbon in 1.5 and 2.5 cubic foot Vortech tanks, plus a 20 inch Big Blue cartridge kit for free chlorine on a budget; a brand comparison against APEX, SpringWell, and Aquasana; how catalytic carbon removes chlorine and chloramine; installation steps and requirements; symptom diagnosis for bleach smell in the shower, dry skin and hair, chlorine taste, and chloramine; verified customer reviews; and free expert sizing help. Pair with a reverse osmosis system for certified lead, fluoride, and PFAS removal at the kitchen tap. All systems ship free to all 50 US states. Prices range from $259 to $2,495. Mid Atlantic Water has been specializing in water treatment since 1997, with a team carrying 32 years of expertise.
By Aidan· 32 Year Water Expert, Mid Atlantic Water ·
If your tap water tastes like a swimming pool or your shower smells like bleach, this page fixes it. A whole-house carbon filter at the point of entry removes chlorine taste and odor from every tap, shower, and appliance line, and the Centaur catalytic carbon in our tank filters also breaks down chloramine, the more stubborn disinfectant many utilities now use.
Check your utility's annual water report (CCR) to see which disinfectant you have, then pick your configuration: the non-backwashing Clack filter needs no drain, no electricity, and no backwash, or step up to the backwashing Fleck 2510SXT if you also have sediment or a heavier load. Want lead, fluoride, or PFAS certainty at the kitchen tap too? Pair it with a reverse osmosis system downstream. Not sure? Send Aidan your CCR and he will size it in 5 minutes.
Chlorine gone from every tap & shower
Chloramine? Centaur catalytic carbon
No drain, no electricity options
Installs in 2-4 hours
Free shipping & 5-10 yr warranty
30-day return policy
Watch the 4-minute overview
After 32 years of expert experience, with over 10,000 customers served since we started Mid Atlantic Water in 1997, the chlorine filter we reach for first is the 2.5 cu ft non-backwashing Centaur catalytic carbon filter: no drain, no electricity, and one tank that removes free chlorine AND chloramine, so you don't have to guess which disinfectant your utility uses before you order. The budget 20-inch Big Blue cartridge kit covers free chlorine taste and odor only. These are the same professional-grade systems we have put in city water homes for three decades.
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No-Drain Chlorine Filters (Non-Backwashing)
The filter we recommend first for chlorinated city water. A Clack C1190 non-electric upflow head and a deep bed of Centaur catalytic carbon (Calgon Carbon) take chlorine taste and odor, chloramine, and disinfection byproducts out of every tap with no drain, no electricity, and no backwash. Nothing to program, nothing to plug in. Available in 1.5 and 2.5 cu ft Vortech tanks.
The same Centaur catalytic carbon with a Fleck 2510SXT digital valve that automatically backwashes to refresh the bed. Choose this over the non-backwashing filter when your city water carries sediment, your home runs 4 or more bathrooms, or the same tank also needs to handle sulfur smell on a well. Needs a floor drain and a 110V outlet. Available in 1.5 and 2.5 cu ft Vortech tanks.
The $259 way to knock down chlorine taste and odor at every tap. A genuine Pentair Pentek 150233 Big Blue housing with a GAC-20BB carbon cartridge, about 25,000 gallons per cartridge, changed every 3 to 6 months. Free chlorine only: this cartridge is standard GAC, so if your utility uses chloramine you want a Centaur catalytic tank filter instead.
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Chlorine Filter Comparison
Mid Atlantic vs. APEX, SpringWell & Aquasana
Honest head-to-head against the whole-house chlorine systems most shoppers also look at. Framing is taken from each company's own published product pages (June 2026); we don't list competitor prices we can't verify, and we note where a competitor handles chloramine with a separate model.
MAW Centaur Catalytic Carbon
APEX
SpringWell
Aquasana
Filter media
Centaur catalytic carbon (Calgon)
3 cartridge stages (GAC)
Catalytic carbon + KDF
Carbon + KDF tank
Chlorine taste & odor
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes (97% claim)
Chloramine
Yes, every tank filter
Not specified
Yes (catalytic)
Separate Chloramines model
Tank or cartridge
Mineral tank or Big Blue cartridge
Cartridge stack
Tank (upflow)
Tank + pre/post cartridges
No-drain / non-electric option
Yes (Clack C1190 upflow)
Yes (cartridge)
Yes (upflow)
Yes (tank)
Routine maintenance
None on tank models for 5-7 yrs
Cartridge changes (~12 mo)
Pre-filter changes
Pre/post filter changes
Media life / capacity
5-7 yr tank, ~25,000 gal cartridge
Per-cartridge
Up to ~1M gal claim
1M gal / 10 yr claim
Phone consult included
Yes, with Aidan
Limited
Limited
Limited
Pricing style
Flat price, $259 - $2,495
Sale pricing
Frequent discounts
Heavy discount marketing
The question that actually separates these systems is chloramine. Cartridge GAC handles free chlorine fine, but chloramine needs catalytic carbon, and some brands cover it only with a separate dedicated model. Every Mid Atlantic Water carbon tank filter ships Centaur catalytic carbon by Calgon Carbon, so one system covers either disinfectant your utility uses, and you don't have to guess right when you order.
We also size by your household and your water report, not by a headline gallon number, and we don't run countdown discounts. A 1.5 or 2.5 cubic foot Centaur tank carries 5 to 7 years of media on city water, and Aidan tells you on the phone which size and configuration actually fits before you spend anything.
Step 1: Find Your Problem
What are the signs of chlorine taste, shower smell, and chloramine?
The tell-tale signs you want a chlorine filter are: a bleach or pool smell in the shower steam; a pool-like taste at the kitchen tap; dry, tight skin and brittle hair that improve when you travel; and chloramine listed on your utility's annual water report. If you notice any of these, a point-of-entry carbon filter removes the disinfectant and its byproducts from every tap in the house, and the Centaur catalytic carbon in our tanks handles chloramine too.
Bleach smell in the shower
Hot water vaporizes chlorine, so the shower is where you smell it first and breathe the most of it.
→YESWhole-house filter fixes this
Pool taste in your drinking water
A pool-like or bleachy taste at the kitchen tap, plus the chemical edge from disinfection byproducts (THMs and HAAs).
→YESCarbon filter fixes this
Dry skin and hair after showering
Chlorine and chloramine strip natural oils. Itchy, tight skin and brittle hair that improve on vacation are the classic tell.
→YESWhole-house filter removes the irritant
Chloramine on your water report
Your utility's annual report (CCR) lists chloramine, chlorine plus ammonia, as the disinfectant. It will not fade by letting water stand.
→YESCatalytic carbon fixes this
Chlorine or chloramine? It changes nothing here, but check anyway
Just chlorine taste and shower smell, nothing else? The 2.5 cu ft non-backwashing Centaur filter is all you need, and it covers chloramine too. On a tight budget or renting, the 20" Big Blue cartridge kit reduces free chlorine taste and odor for $259. Already shopping by hardware instead of problem? The full carbon line lives at our whole-house carbon filters collection. Keep scrolling for sizing.
Size based on household size and your disinfectant. Most city homes land on the 2.5 cu ft non-backwashing Centaur filter (3 to 6 people, 2 to 4 baths), Aidan's 32-year default for chlorinated water. It needs no drain, no outlet, and no backwash, and its catalytic carbon covers free chlorine AND chloramine. Choose the backwashing Fleck 2510SXT when your water also carries sediment or your home runs 4 or more bathrooms; the 1.5 cu ft needs 6 to 7 GPM of backwash flow and the 2.5 cu ft needs about 10 GPM. Same Centaur catalytic carbon (Calgon Carbon) in every tank. Carbon is the chlorine fix, not an iron, hardness, or fluoride filter.
Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report names your disinfectant. Free chlorine is the most common, and any of our carbon filters removes its taste and odor. Chloramine (chlorine bonded to ammonia) is more stable, will not dissipate by letting water stand, and needs catalytic carbon, which is why every Mid Atlantic Water carbon tank filter ships Centaur catalytic carbon by Calgon Carbon. Catalytic carbon handles chloramine in the non-backwashing upflow filter, so chloramine alone never forces you into a drain, an outlet, or a backwashing valve. The one unit that does NOT handle chloramine is the $259 Big Blue cartridge kit (standard GAC, free chlorine only).
Max service flow before pressure drop
This is a CEILING, not a requirement: how much water can pass at once before you notice a pressure drop at the fixtures. The non-backwashing upflow units run up to 17 GPM (2.5 cu ft) and 10 GPM (1.5 cu ft) with no flow requirement at all, since nothing backwashes. The backwashing units run 12 to 15 GPM continuous (2.5 cu ft) and 9 to 10 GPM (1.5 cu ft). Contact time matters for chloramine especially: a larger bed gives the catalytic reaction more time at peak flow, which is why bigger homes step up to 2.5 cu ft.
Backwash GPM (backwashing models only)
The non-backwashing Clack C1190 filters need no drain, no power, and no backwash flow, which is why they are the default chlorine recommendation. The backwashing Fleck 2510SXT models self-clean on a programmable cycle, typically every 7 to 14 days, and your supply must sustain that rinse: roughly 6 to 7 GPM for the 1.5 cu ft and about 10 GPM for the 2.5 cu ft. On city water pressure that is rarely an issue; on a community well, confirm your pump can deliver it or choose the non-backwashing filter.
A whole-house chlorine filter sits where the city main enters your house and passes every drop through a deep bed of Centaur catalytic carbon (Calgon Carbon). The carbon adsorbs free chlorine, disinfection byproducts (THMs and HAAs), VOCs, and the compounds behind the bleach taste and smell, and the catalytic surface chemically breaks down chloramine, the disinfectant that ordinary carbon and standing water cannot shake. A non-backwashing upflow head (Clack C1190) needs no drain or electricity; a backwashing valve (Fleck 2510SXT) periodically rinses and re-stratifies the bed when sediment or heavy flow is in play. No salt, no chemicals, no cartridges on the tank systems.
01
Carbon adsorbs the chlorine
City water flows through a deep bed of Centaur catalytic carbon. Free chlorine, the disinfection byproducts it leaves behind (THMs and HAAs), VOCs, and the compounds behind the bleach taste and smell bind to the carbon's vast internal surface area before the water reaches a single tap.
02
Catalytic carbon breaks chloramine apart
Chloramine (chlorine bonded to ammonia) is built to resist fading away, which is why it sails through ordinary carbon at whole-house flow rates. Centaur is catalytic: its surface chemically breaks the chloramine bond instead of waiting to adsorb it, so the same tank handles either disinfectant your utility uses.
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Every tap, shower, and appliance is covered
Because the tank sits at the point of entry, the chlorine is gone from your shower steam, your drinking glass, your coffee, and your washing machine, not just one faucet. The non-backwashing Clack models need no electricity, no drain, and no backwash, and the bed lasts about 5 to 7 years on typical city water.
Installation
We ship it. Your plumber installs it.
Every utility room is different, so we recommend hiring a licensed plumber. The job is straightforward for anyone who does residential plumbing, and Aidan is a phone call away if your plumber has questions. The non-backwashing chlorine filters are the simplest install of all: no drain, no outlet, no programming.
2-4 hrs
Typical install time for a licensed plumber. Straightforward residential plumbing, no concrete work, no specialty tools.
1"
Plumbing connections on the inlet, outlet, and bypass. CPVC or PEX with SharkBite fittings both work.
100%
Phone support included. Aidan walks your plumber through anything unusual about your specific setup.
What to have ready
120V outlet (backwashing models only)Within 6 ft of the tank for the Fleck 2510SXT valve. The non-backwashing Clack filters need no power at all.
Floor drain or waste pipe (backwashing models)Within 20 ft for the 1/2" backwash drain line. Non-backwashing upflow filters need no drain.
1" plumbing with shut-offsInlet and outlet, with valves upstream and downstream to isolate the system.
Clear floor spaceNear where the city main enters the house, for a 10"x54" or 13"x54" tank where the plumber can work comfortably.
What your plumber will do
Position the tank at the point of entry, after the water meter, any sediment filter, and the softener if you run one, then level it on the base.
Thread on the Clack C1190 non-electric upflow head, or attach the Fleck 2510SXT valve on a backwashing system.
Attach the 1" stainless-steel bypass valve to the control head.
Plumb 1" inlet (IN) and outlet (OUT). CPVC with solvent cement or PEX with SharkBite fittings both work.
On backwashing models, run 1/2" drain tubing from the valve to a floor drain or waste pipe, maintaining an air gap.
On backwashing models, plug the transformer into a 120V outlet and set the time and backwash schedule (every 7 to 14 days).
Open the water valve slowly, 1/4 turn at a time. A sudden rush shifts the carbon bed. Flush 10 to 15 minutes to rinse carbon fines until the water runs clear.
On non-backwashing models there is nothing to program. The upflow head runs continuously, no salt, no settings, and your chlorine is gone from the first flush.
Show your plumber exactly what's going in. The system builder generates a plumbing schematic for your specific setup. Send it to your plumber before install day.
Centaur catalytic carbon vs standard GAC, coconut shell, and KDF
Not all carbon handles chlorine the same way, and most of it does not handle chloramine at all. Standard granular activated carbon (GAC) and coconut shell GAC adsorb free chlorine well, but chloramine needs more contact time than whole-house flow allows, so it passes through. KDF media uses a redox reaction on chlorine but only partially helps with chloramine.
Centaur is a catalytic carbon made by Calgon Carbon. Its surface chemically breaks chloramine down instead of only adsorbing it, so one tank covers either disinfectant your utility uses. That is why we ship Centaur in every carbon tank filter, non-backwashing and backwashing alike.
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★★★★★
Great Product Great Support
I did this myself with Iron Filter, water softener, and carbon tank. Great support from Aiden. Be careful with the outflow connections I had to use tape and dope to stop drip and backwash lines air gap need to be to code.
DC
Derek C., United States
Verified Buyer
Fleck 2510SXT 1.5 Cubic Foot Whole House Carbon Filter · May 2026
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if chlorine taste, shower smell, or chloramine is your complaint. One point-of-entry carbon tank removes the disinfectant from every tap, shower, and appliance line for 5 to 7 years per media bed, with no monthly cartridges on the tank models. It is not worth buying for iron, hardness, or fluoride, since carbon does not treat those.
Yes. Chlorine removal is the core job of whole-house carbon. Activated carbon adsorbs free chlorine along with the disinfection byproducts (THMs and HAAs) and VOCs that come with treated city water. The detail that matters is chloramine: if your utility uses it, you need catalytic carbon, which every Mid Atlantic Water carbon tank filter ships (Centaur, by Calgon Carbon).
Yes, with catalytic carbon. Chloramine resists ordinary activated carbon at whole-house flow rates and does not dissipate if water stands. Centaur catalytic carbon chemically breaks the chlorine-ammonia bond, and it does so in the non-backwashing upflow filter, so chloramine removal needs no drain, no outlet, and no backwashing valve. Check your utility's Consumer Confidence Report to confirm which disinfectant you have.
Mostly no. Pitcher filters use small amounts of standard activated carbon with very short contact time, which takes the edge off free chlorine taste but does little against chloramine. They also treat one pitcher at a time, while the shower steam you breathe and the water your skin sits in stay untreated. A whole-house catalytic carbon tank treats every drop entering the home at full flow.
It removes the irritant; it is not a medical treatment. Chlorine and chloramine strip the natural oils from skin and hair, which is why dry, tight skin and brittle hair often improve on vacation in a town with different water. A whole-house filter takes that irritant out of every shower and bath. If you have eczema or another skin condition, removing chlorine helps many people but is not a cure, and we won't tell you otherwise.
Yes. Removing chlorine taste and odor is exactly what whole-house carbon filtration is built for. A point-of-entry carbon tank takes the chlorine out of every tap, shower, and appliance line in the house, along with the disinfection byproducts (THMs and HAAs) and VOCs that ride along with treated city water.
The one thing to check first is WHICH disinfectant your utility uses. Free chlorine is handled by any of our carbon filters. Chloramine needs catalytic carbon, which is what every Mid Atlantic Water carbon tank filter ships (Centaur, by Calgon Carbon).
Not meaningfully at the levels utilities use; both are regulated disinfectants and your water is legal and disinfected either way. The practical differences: chloramine is far more stable, so it does not dissipate if you let water stand, it is harder on rubber plumbing parts and gaskets, it is more aggressive toward fish in aquariums, and many people notice the taste and the effect on skin and hair more.
The treatment difference is the one that matters when buying a filter: ordinary activated carbon removes free chlorine easily but barely touches chloramine at whole-house flow rates. Chloramine needs catalytic carbon like the Centaur media in our tank filters.
For a single pitcher, you genuinely can: free chlorine dissipates if you let water stand uncovered for several hours to a day, and boiling speeds that up. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) also neutralizes both chlorine and chloramine, which is how dechlorination tablets for bath water work.
None of that scales to a house. You cannot let your shower stand overnight, and chloramine barely dissipates at all (it is designed not to). For chlorine-free water at every tap the practical answer is a point-of-entry carbon filter, which works at full flow with no waiting, no boiling, and nothing to add.
A shower filter treats one shower head, usually with a small cartridge that has very little contact time at full hot-water flow, and it does nothing for your kitchen tap, your laundry, or any other fixture. A whole-house carbon tank treats every drop entering the home, including the steam you breathe in the shower, with years of media life instead of cartridge swaps.
If chlorine is bothering your skin and hair, we frame it honestly: chlorine strips natural oils, and removing it at the point of entry takes that irritant away everywhere. It is not a medical treatment for skin conditions, but most people on heavily chlorinated water notice the difference in the first week.
Yes. Trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) form when chlorine reacts with organic matter in the water, and they are among the contaminants activated carbon adsorbs best. A whole-house Centaur carbon tank reduces them at every tap, which matters because THM exposure is partly through inhalation in hot showers, not just drinking.
For certified drinking-water removal of lead, fluoride, PFAS, or dissolved solids, pair the whole-house carbon with a point-of-use reverse osmosis system at the kitchen tap. Carbon gives meaningful background PFAS reduction but is not an NSF/ANSI 53 certified PFAS system, and we won't pretend otherwise.
The Centaur carbon bed in our tank filters lasts about 5 to 7 years on typical city water before it needs to be re-bedded. There are no monthly cartridges, no salt, and no chemicals; the non-backwashing models have no moving parts at all.
Heavy chlorination, chloramine, or very high water use shortens the interval. The $259 Big Blue cartridge kit is the exception: its cartridge handles roughly 25,000 gallons of free chlorine reduction and is changed every 3 to 6 months.
Paste your city water report (CCR) below, or just tell us what you taste and smell. Aidan replies with the right chlorine filter (non-backwashing vs backwashing, and which size) and install notes for your layout. Same-day during business hours, next morning otherwise.
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