[Durham INC] Durham Temporarily Changes Water Disinfection Method

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Amy C. Blalock

Senior Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov <mailto:Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov> 

 

For Immediate Release:  February 18, 2009

 

Durham Temporarily Changes Water Disinfection Method

Annual Process Required by State and Federal Regulations; Change to
Occur Throughout March

 

Durham, N.C. - Durham residents may notice some changes in the taste and
color of their water throughout the month of March.  From Friday,
February 27 through April 1, 2009, the City of Durham will temporarily
stop adding ammonia during the water treatment disinfection process as
required annually by state and federal water regulations.  

 

During this one-month timeframe, only chlorine will be used for
disinfection.  The City's Water and Sewer Maintenance crews will also be
flushing the entire water system to disperse chlorine throughout the
system.  

 

During March, residents may notice an increase in the chlorine taste and
odor as well as minor discoloration in their water when crews are
working in their neighborhoods.  Fish aquarium and pond owners as well
as citizens receiving kidney dialysis treatment should continue to take
special precaution to remove traces of ammonia and chlorine from the
water prior to using it.  Residents should also check their water before
washing any white clothing.  If water discoloration occurs, citizens
should run their water for a few minutes until it runs clear.  If the
discoloration persists, contact the Water and Sewer Maintenance Division
of the City's Department of Water Management at (919) 560-4344.  

 

Durham has been using chloramination as the disinfection process since
January 2002.  Chloramination uses both ammonia and chlorine to
disinfect water and reduces the formation of disinfection by-products in
the water distribution system.  City water treatment plant staff will
resume adding ammonia back into the disinfection process on April 1,
2009.

 

Durham received permission from the State to forego this annual process
in 2008 due to the severe drought affecting the area.  "It's been almost
two years since we've performed any significant flushing of our system.
It's very important that we flush our system this year to ensure we
continue to provide high quality drinking water to our community," said
Donald Greeley, director of the City's Department of Water Management.
"It makes sense to do this now, before warmer weather sets in with the
associated higher demands," he added. 

 

Several other local water providers, including Cary, Raleigh, and OWASA,
will be carrying out the same temporary disinfection process change and
system flushing during March.  

 

For more information on the disinfection process, contact the City's
Department of Water Management at (919) 560-4381.  Questions related to
the flushing program should be directed to the City's Water and Sewer
Maintenance Division of the Department of Water Management at (919)
560-4344.  Citizens can also refer to the City's Web site at 
www.durhamnc.gov/departments/wm/water_supply.cfm for more information
about the water treatment process and disinfection.

 

About the Department of Water Management

The City's Department of Water Management is responsible for the
operation and maintenance of Durham's water supply, water treatment and
water reclamation (wastewater treatment) facilities, the collection and
distribution systems (including meter reading) and customer billing
services.  For more information, visit www.durhamnc.gov/departments/wm.


 

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