North Texas residents may notice a more potent taste or smell of chlorine in their tap water, but local officials assure everyone the water is still safe to drink.
The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) is conducting annual chlorine maintenance on the water transmission system until April 3, having begun on March 6.
The NTMWD has temporarily changed the disinfectant used in the water treatment process as part of an annual treatment that is “required to protect public health,” according to the organization.
The change will affect over two million customers across 10 counties, including Dallas, Collin, Rockwall, Kaufman, and Hunt. The treatment reportedly improves the drinking water quality and lessens the need for flushing fire hydrants during warm seasons.
“Protection of public health and keeping our water safe is a top priority,” said Zeke Campbell, NTMWD assistant director for water treatment and conveyance, in a statement last month.
“This common maintenance practice is an essential step in our advanced year-round treatment and disinfection process and does not increase the amount of chlorine in the system,” he continued. “The water remains safe to drink and use every day, and we continue to meet or surpass safe drinking water standards.”
The statement said the normal disinfection process “keeps drinking water free of harmful microorganisms,” including “parasites and viruses.” The process occurs in two steps, first treating the water at the treatment plant, then adding chloramine disinfectant (a mixture of chlorine and ammonia) to “maintain the water quality on its journey through the miles of pipes to homes and businesses.”
“During this temporary change, NTMWD suspends adding ammonia and uses free chlorine to keep the water disinfected as it travels through the pipes,” the statement continued. “It is important to do this before summer because hotter temperatures can increase the potential for bacterial growth in pipes.”
The NTMWD said that the absence of ammonia could make the chlorine taste, odor, and texture more noticeable to some people and advised several methods to neutralize the chlorine, including placing a pitcher of water in the refrigerator overnight and adding citrus or vitamin C to the water.