[Durham INC] Durham Temporarily Changes Water Disinfection Method Today

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov

 

 

For Immediate Release: February 24, 2012 

 

 

City of Durham Temporarily Changes Water Disinfection Method Beginning
Today

Annual Process Required by State and Federal Regulations Will Occur
Throughout March

 

DURHAM, N.C.- Durham residents may notice a slight change in the taste
and color of their water throughout the month of March. Beginning today
through April 1, 2012, the City of Durham will temporarily stop adding
ammonia as a part of the water treatment disinfection process in order
to meet an annual state and federal water requirement.  

 

During this time, only chlorine will be used for disinfection. The
City's Water and Sewer Maintenance Division will also begin flushing the
entire water system to allow chlorine to disperse throughout the system.
System flushing will begin on Sunday, March 4 and will be conducted
Sundays through Thursdays between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. to minimize the
impact to customers. During the three-week flushing process, staff will
start working in the north and south sides of the city and progress
toward the center of the city.  

 

During this process, residents may also notice slight discoloration in
their water when crews are working in their neighborhoods. Residents
receiving kidney dialysis treatment as well as aquarium and pond owners
should continue to take special precautions to remove traces of ammonia
and chlorine from the water prior to using it. Residents should also
check their water before washing white clothing. If water discoloration
occurs, customers should run their water for a few minutes until it
becomes clear.  If water discoloration persists, contact the Water and
Sewer Maintenance Division of the City's Water Management Department 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 into the disinfection process on April 1, 2012.

 

Several other neighboring water providers, including Cary, Raleigh and
the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA), will be carrying out the
same temporary disinfection process change and system flushing during
this time period.  

 

For more information on the disinfection process, contact the City's
Water Management Department at (919) 560-4381. Questions related to the
flushing program should be directed to the City's Water and Sewer
Maintenance Division at (919) 560-4344. Information about the City's
water treatment and disinfection process may also be found on the City's
website at 
http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/op/dwm/Pages/Water-Quality-and-Treatment.aspx. 

 

About the City's Water Management Department
The City's Water Management Department 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 http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/op/dwm.

 

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