1. Chlorine and Chloramines Chlorine has been a staple in water disinfection for over a century. It effectively kills bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. However, chlorination can also produce disinfection byproducts (DBPs), some of which may be harmful. To mitigate this, many facilities use chloramines, a combination of chlorine and ammonia, which produces fewer DBPs while maintaining effective disinfection.