Water guides · Updated November 2, 2026

Chloramine vs. chlorine in Lee County water: what it means for your drinking water and softener

Short answer: most of the year, Lee County Utilities disinfects tap water with chloramines, which are chlorine combined with ammonia, because they last longer in a large pipe system. Each spring it switches to free chlorine for about three weeks (May 1 to 21 in 2026), and some customers notice a swimming-pool smell. Not every Lee County home is on Lee County Utilities: the City of Fort Myers disinfects with chlorine, and Bonita Springs Utilities is a separate supplier.

If your kitchen tap smelled like a pool last May, or you have heard neighbors argue about “chloramine,” this guide sorts out what your utility actually uses, when it changes, and what that means for a drinking water system or a water softener. It is written for homes in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Naples, and the rest of Lee and Collier counties.

What is the difference between chlorine and chloramine?

Both are disinfectants your utility adds so the water stays protected on its way through the pipes. According to the EPA: Chloramines in Drinking Water page, chloramines are most commonly formed when ammonia is added to chlorine, and they provide longer-lasting disinfection as water moves through the distribution system. Lee County Utilities says the same thing in its own words: it uses chloramines most of the year because, given the size of its distribution system, the more stable disinfectant keeps a residual in the pipes longer (Lee County Utilities FAQ).

Free chlorine is the more aggressive of the two, and it is the one most people recognize by smell.

Why does Lee County switch to free chlorine every spring?

Lee County Utilities calls it the free chlorine flush. During the flush the treatment plant stops adding ammonia, so the water carries free chlorine instead of chloramines. The county says switching to the more aggressive disinfectant denies bacteria the ability to form resistances to the normal process, and crews flush hydrants so the free-chlorinated water reaches every part of the system (free chlorine flush fact sheet).

• 2026 dates: May 1 through May 21 (WINK News, Apr. 20, 2026).
• Going back takes time: after the 2025 flush, the county said it would take about one week for the service area to convert back to a chloramine residual (May 2025 release).
• What you may notice: the county says most customers notice no change, while some detect a slight chemical or swimming-pool smell, depending on their sensitivity.
• Special cases: the county tells home kidney dialysis users to contact their equipment supplier and aquarium owners to ask a fish store about pretreatment. Follow your utility’s notice for these.

The 2027 dates had not been announced when this guide was written. In 2026 the county announced the flush in late April, so watch for its notice in the spring.

Which disinfectant does your utility use?

It depends on who sends your water bill, not on your mailing address. A Fort Myers address can be served by the City of Fort Myers or by Lee County Utilities, and Estero is split between two providers. Here is what each priority-area utility publishes:

• Lee County Utilities (including Estero north of Williams Road): chloramines most of the year, with a free chlorine flush each spring (Lee County Utilities FAQ; Village of Estero utilities summary (Florida Porch)).
• City of Fort Myers: the city’s 2025 report says its reverse-osmosis water is treated with chlorine bleach (City of Fort Myers 2025 Annual Water Quality Report). In 2022 the city also said Lee County uses chloramines while the city uses free chlorine (2022 city statement reported by WBBH).
• Bonita Springs Utilities (Bonita Springs and Estero south of Williams Road): its 2025 report lists the disinfectant residual as “chlorine and chloramines” (Bonita Springs Utilities 2025 water quality report), and its water quality FAQ says it uses monochloramine. BSU also announces a temporary switch to free chlorine in May (BSU notice). In 2026 BSU announced May 10 to 31; check BSU’s notices each spring for that year’s dates.
• City of Naples: chloramines as the standard disinfectant, per its 2024 water quality report (City of Naples 2024 Annual Water Quality Report), with a free chlorine period from June 1 to June 30 in 2026 (City of Naples 2026 notice).
• Collier County Water (unincorporated Collier County): chloramines as the standard disinfectant, with free chlorine from July 31 to August 28 in 2026 and hydrant flushing through September 18 (Collier County Water: Drinking Water).

What does it mean for the water you drink?

For most people it is a taste and odor question. Lee County Utilities suggests that chlorine can be removed by boiling water or by filling a container and letting it vent, and notes that some filtration devices remove chlorine (Lee County Utilities FAQ).

Chloramine is a separate question. NSF lists chlorine reduction and chloramine reduction as separate certification categories (NSF contaminant reduction claims guide), so a filter certified for chlorine is not automatically certified for chloramine. If chloramine reduction specifically matters to you, look for a product whose certification lists it by name and check that listing.

What does it mean for a water softener?

A softener’s job is hardness. It exchanges calcium and magnesium for sodium or potassium, as Penn State Extension: water softening explains. Switching between chlorine and chloramine does not change your hardness, so softener settings are still based on your water test and how much water the house uses.

If the complaint is spots, scale, and soap that will not lather all over the house, that is a hardness question, not a disinfectant question.

Hydrant flushing is a separate issue that can come with these disinfectant changes. During Collier County’s flushing, the county advises running the tap for several minutes if water looks cloudy or discolored and holding off on laundry until it clears (Collier County Water: Drinking Water).

What we check at a free water test

We test hardness, pH, and iron at your tap, ask what you are noticing and when, and go over the results with you. Then we explain the options: a water softener, whole-home treatment, or nothing at all. The on-site test is a field check, not a laboratory report. Details are on the free water test page. Local utility details for your area are on our Fort Myers and Naples pages.

Related guides: hard water in Southwest Florida: what to test for, why well water smells like rotten eggs or stains orange, and water heater replacement: tank vs. tankless and hard water.

Book a free in-home water test or a free consultation: call 239-376-0640 or send a request. Waterbird SWFL serves Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties, from Marco Island to Port Charlotte. Florida Certified Plumbing Contractor, Lic. #CFC1433714.