Your city adds chlorine to your water every day. The question is how much, and whether your kid is soaking in more of it than a swimming pool. We pulled the real numbers from America's biggest cities.
Most big US cities keep tap water at about 1 to 3 mg/L of chlorine or chloramine, and single readings in some cities top the EPA's 4 mg/L limit. In the cities we checked, reported averages ranged from 0.6 mg/L in New York City to about 3.6 mg/L at one Oklahoma City plant, and more than half use chloramine, which doesn't fade if water sits out. Whatever your city's number, the Tubo Bath Filter removes up to 99% of the chlorine before it reaches your kid's bath.
Chlorine levels in tap water: America's biggest cities
Cities are ranked by population. Every figure comes from the utility's own annual water quality report (also called a Consumer Confidence Report, or CCR). We used the newest report we could access. Most cover 2025. ppm and mg/L are the same thing.
| City | Utility | Disinfectant | Average (mg/L) | Range (mg/L) | Data year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | NYC DEP | Chlorine | 0.6 | ND–1.4 | 2025 |
| Houston, TX | Houston Public Works (main system) | Chloramine | 2.8 | 0.04–4.8 | 2025 |
| Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix Water Services | Chlorine | 0.84* | <0.24–1.9 | 2025 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia Water Dept. | Chloramine | 2.54 (highest monthly avg.) | 1.54–2.54 (monthly avgs.) | 2025 |
| San Antonio, TX | SAWS (main system) | Chlorine | 1.46 | 0.16–3.7 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | San Diego Public Utilities | Chloramine | 1.75 | ND–3.80 | 2025 |
| Dallas, TX | Dallas Water Utilities | Total chlorine (type not stated) | 2.97 | 2.75–3.18 | 2025 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Fort Worth Water | Chloramine | 3.4 | 1.4–4.3 | 2022 |
| Austin, TX | Austin Water | Chloramine | 2.3 | 0.06–3.1 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | San Jose Water | Chlorine and chloramine (both possible) | 1.42* | Not listed | 2025 |
| Charlotte, NC | Charlotte Water | Chlorine | 1.04* | 0.47–1.60 | 2025 |
| Columbus, OH | Columbus Division of Water | Chlorine | 0.97–1.44 (by plant) | 0.87–1.59 | 2025 |
| Indianapolis, IN | Citizens Energy Group | Chloramine | 2.0 | 0.09–2.9 | 2025 report |
| San Francisco, CA | SFPUC | Chloramine | 2.6* | <0.1–3.6 | 2025 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | OKC Utilities | Chloramine | 3.57 (Hefner) / 3.25 (Draper) | 2.98–3.87 (Hefner) / 2.49–3.85 (Draper) | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | DC Water | Chloramine | 3.2* | 0.1–4.2 | 2024 |
| El Paso, TX | El Paso Water | Chlorine | ~2.0 | 1.10–2.60 | 2025 |
| Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas Valley Water District | Chlorine | <1.0* | ND–2.3 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | MWRA / Boston Water and Sewer | Chloramine | ~2.0 | 0.02–3.7 | 2025 |
* Running annual average (the highest one reported that year, where the report says so). ND = not detected. ~ = rounded to one decimal; <1.0 = just under 1 mg/L. Columbus figures are measured at its three treatment plants. Several cities have more than one system; we used the main system that serves most homes. Utilities report in slightly different ways, so treat small gaps between cities with care.
What do the numbers tell you?
Some taps spike above 4 mg/L
Single samples went above 4 mg/L in Houston, DC and Fort Worth. The EPA limit is judged on a yearly average, so those spikes still count as compliant.
Chloramine is common
More than half of the cities with a named disinfectant use chloramine. It lasts longer in pipes, so it doesn't fade from a glass or a filled tub.
Levels vary a lot
The highest average we found is about six times New York City's. Even inside one city, the range from one tap to the next can be wide.
One more thing: a low number isn't "no chlorine." Every city on this list keeps disinfectant in the pipes on purpose, all the way to your tub. Want the full story on how the two disinfectants differ? Read chlorine vs chloramine.
What does the EPA's 4 mg/L limit mean?
The EPA sets a Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) of 4.0 mg/L for both chlorine and chloramine. It's the highest level of disinfectant allowed in drinking water.
"Under the limit" means safe to drink. It doesn't tell you how your kid's skin feels after soaking in it. For that question, see our pillar guide: Is chlorine in bath water bad for kids?
How do I find the chlorine level in my city's water?
It takes about five minutes.
On a private well? You likely have no added chlorine at all, unless you treat the water yourself.
What does this mean for my kid's bath?
Every city in this table sends disinfected water to your tub. For a kid with dry, itchy or eczema-prone skin, that means a nightly soak in a drying agent. Tight skin after the towel, scratching at bedtime. Here's how that works: Can bath water make eczema worse?
If your city uses chloramine, letting the tub sit won't help. Chloramine doesn't gas off like plain chlorine. A filter is the simple fix for either one.
“I love this the water looks cleaner and clear”
Wondering how a bath filter keeps up with chloramine? Here's what's inside one: Do bath filters actually work?
Whatever your city puts in the pipes, Tubo takes it out as the tub fills. 50,000+ families trust it, rated 4.7★ from 580+ reviews. Clip on a Tubo Bath Filter →
Frequently asked questions
Which US city has the most chlorine in its tap water?
Of the cities we checked, Oklahoma City reported the highest averages (3.57 mg/L at its Hefner plant and 3.25 mg/L at Draper in 2025). If your city isn't in the table, your own utility's report has the number.
Which big US city has the least chlorine in its water?
New York City reported a 2025 average of 0.6 mg/L of free chlorine, the lowest average in our table. Las Vegas and Phoenix were also under 1 mg/L on an annual-average basis.
Is 4 mg/L of chlorine safe?
It's the EPA's maximum for drinking water, measured as a yearly average. Water at or under it is legal and considered safe to drink. The limit wasn't designed around skin or bathing.
How do I know if my city uses chlorine or chloramine?
Look at the disinfectant row in your utility's annual water quality report, or call the utility. If it says chloramine, monochloramine or total chlorine with ammonia, it's chloramine.
Why is my tap water level different from the city average?
Chlorine fades as water travels through pipes, so homes near a treatment plant often get more and homes at the end of the line get less. A test strip shows your own tap.
Does the Tubo Bath Filter work in chloramine cities?
Yes. Its clinically tested Neutralyx™ Blend removes up to 99% of chlorine and heavy metals, plus chloramine, whatever your city uses.
- US EPA — National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (MRDL for chlorine and chloramines). epa.gov
- US EPA — Consumer Confidence Reports (find your CCR). epa.gov
- US Census Bureau — City and town population estimates (Vintage 2025), used for the city ranking. census.gov
- NYC Department of Environmental Protection — 2025 Drinking Water Supply and Quality Report. nyc.gov
- Houston Public Works — 2025 Drinking Water Quality Report. houstonpublicworks.org
- City of Phoenix — Water Quality Report. phoenix.gov
- Philadelphia Water Department — 2025 Drinking Water Quality Report. water.phila.gov
- Philadelphia Water Department — Drinking Water FAQ (chloramine). water.phila.gov
- San Antonio Water System — 2025 Water Quality Report. saws.org
- City of San Diego Public Utilities — 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report. sandiego.gov
- Dallas Water Utilities — Water Quality Report (2025 data). dallascityhall.com
- Fort Worth Water — Drinking Water Quality. fortworthtexas.gov
- Austin Water — Water Quality Reports (2025). austintexas.gov
- San Jose Water — 2025 Consumer Confidence Report. sjwater.com
- Charlotte Water — Consumer Confidence Report (2025 data). charlottenc.gov
- City of Columbus — 2025 Consumer Confidence Report. columbus.gov
- Citizens Energy Group — Indianapolis & Morgan County Water Quality Data. citizensenergygroup.com
- SFPUC — San Francisco Water Quality Report 2025. sfpuc.gov
- Oklahoma City Utilities — Drinking Water Quality Report (CCR). okc.gov
- DC Water — 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report (2024 data). dcwater.com
- DC Water — Chlorine test results (chloramine). dcwater.com
- El Paso Water — 2025 Water Quality Report. epwater.org
- Las Vegas Valley Water District — Water Quality Report (2025 data). lvvwd.com
- MWRA / Boston Water and Sewer Commission — Water Quality Report (2025 data). bwsc.org