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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.