Generally speaking, chlorination is a double-edged sword when it comes to Reverse Osmosis Systems. As a method of disinfection, chlorination is not only efficient and practical, but it is cost-effective as well. The only problem is that chlorine is too caustic for membrane elements, and can cause serious damage. Dechlorination is a kind of chemical injection that adds a chemical that forms salts with chlorine, making it readily rejected by the membrane elements. In this circumstance, dechlorination is a must as far as water treatment is concerned. Without dechlorination, reverse osmosis membranes are not only ineffective when it comes to chlorinated water, but the chlorine will simply destroy the protein membrane.