Annual Water Disinfection Process

[StillShaving]

In my home state, it seems all the municipal water systems are doing their annual shock treatment and flushing. A description from the city of Raleigh:

The City of Raleigh temporarily will stop adding ammonia to its water treatment disinfecting process on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 10:00 a.m.


The change in treatment is required by federal and state regulations governing the operation of the City’s water system. The City will resume adding ammonia to the water treatment process on Wednesday, April 9 at 10 a.m.


Using ammonia in the treatment process reduces the amount of trihalomethanes, a by-product formed when water is disinfected with chlorine. The one-month return to chlorine-only disinfecting is not expected to cause any significant increase in trihalomethanes. Trihalomethane levels are strictly regulated in drinking water. The City of Raleigh has maintained compliance with all limits on trihalomethanes since regulations were put in place in 1981.


Some Raleigh water customers may be affected by the temporary change in the treatment process. Water customers should be aware that residual traces of ammonia and chlorine must be removed from the water prior to use in fish tanks and ponds, kidney dialysis and some commercial manufacturing of food and beverages.

My question to others, is do you change your tap water drinking habits during such times when there is a stronger chlorine odor? Do you filter the water during this time when you otherwise would not? Especially water which is used to make tea or coffee?

This type of flushing looks to be part of state and federal regulations, but I am not too clear on whether other areas of the country also modify their water treatment procedures for one month out of the year to comply. Does your state do anything similar? And if so is it during March as well?
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[skip]

Interesting. That does not happen up here. Water treatment consists of filter, UV/ozone, small chlorine doss so there is a residual in the pipes to avoid things growing.

 

[gearchow]

How is my tap water treated?

• Bull Run water is not filtered.
• Chlorine is added to disinfect the water of any potential natural contaminants.
• Ammonia is added in a process called chloramination to ensure that water throughout the system meets federal and state drinking water regulations. Without ammonia the chlorine would evaporate by the end of the supply line..

No annual cleaning that I know of. And I got to say, the water here is the best (municipal) water I've drank other then the West Shore area of Lake Tahoe. The worst water was Santa Cruz, CA.

-jim