Mandatory language from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Notification Upon Changing from Free Chlorine to Chloramines
On June 1, 2023, the City of Wolfforth will be changing the disinfectant that we use from chlorine to chloramines. This change is intended to benefit our customers by reducing the levels of disinfection byproducts in the system, while still providing protection from waterborne disease.
However, the change to chloramines can cause problems to persons dependent on dialysis machines. A condition known as hemolytic anemia can occur if the disinfectant is not completely removed from the water that is used for the dialysate. Consequently, the pretreatment scheme used for the dialysis units must include some means, such as a charcoal filter, for removing the chloramine prior to this date. Medical facilities should also determine if additional precautions are required for other medical equipment. In addition, chloraminated water may be toxic to fish. If you have a fish tank, please make sure that the chemicals or filters that you are using are designed for use in water that has been treated with chloramines. You may also need to change the type of filter that you use for fish tanks.
When the chloraminated water first flushes out the chlorinated water there may be a slight taste and odor, and possibly discoloration for a short period of time. This will not compromise the safety of the water.
Additional information regarding chloramines from the EPA website:
Chloramines (also known as secondary disinfection) are disinfectants used to treat drinking water and they:
· Are most commonly formed when ammonia is added to chlorine to treat drinking water.
· Provide longer-lasting disinfection as the water moves through pipes to consumers.
Chloramines have been used by water utilities since the 1930s. More than one in five Americans uses drinking water treated with chloramines.
Water that contains chloramines and meets EPA regulatory standards is safe to use for:
· Drinking
· Cooking
· Bathing
· Other household uses
Many public water systems (PWSs) use chlorine as their primary disinfectant. However, some PWSs changed their secondary disinfectant to chloramines to meet disinfection byproduct requirements.