ATTENTION: Homeowners
ATTENTION: Landlords and Apartment Owners
Please share a copy of this notice with your tenants. It includes important information about a change to your drinking water.
Beginning on or after the first of week of November, Evans City Water and Sewer Authority will be purchasing water from Pennsylvania American Water’s Butler system. When this occurs, there will be a change in the way your drinking water is treated. Specifically, you will be receiving water treated with chloramine as the disinfectant instead of chlorine. While most customers will not notice any change in their water, some might notice that the taste and odor of chlorine is reduced.
We do not have a firm date for when we will begin to purchase water from Pennsylvania American Water at this time. As we know more, we will post updates on when the change will take place on our web site starting in October. For updates, visit www.evans-city.com. Under “Departments,” select “Water & Sewer.”
Chloramination is a common treatment process in which a small amount of ammonia diluted in water is combined with chlorinated water. With a 90-year track record as a safe, effective disinfectant, chloramine is widely used by municipally-run and privately-owned water systems across the United States and Canada, and throughout Western Pennsylvania.
Local systems using chloramines include:
• Pennsylvania American Water customers in Butler, Brownsville,
Ellwood City, Clarion and Uniontown
• Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority
• Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority
• Oakmont Borough Water Authority
• New Kensington Municipal Authority
• Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County
There are two groups of people who need to take special care with chloraminated water: kidney dialysis patients and fish owners. Chloramine, like chlorine, must be removed from water used in the kidney dialysis process and from water that is used in fish tanks or ponds.
Why does Pennsylvania American Water use chloramines?
The company uses chloramine to ensure that the drinking water continues to comply with all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards. The EPA is imposing more stringent standards to reduce health risks associated with disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in chlorinated water. These DBPs form when chlorine reacts with naturally occurring organic materials, such as decomposing plant material, in the raw water.
Since chloramine is not as reactive as chlorine with organic materials, it produces substantially lower concentrations of DBPs. In addition, chloramine is more stable than chlorine and more effective at extending disinfection through the pipelines that distribute water to customers’ homes and businesses.
Is chloramine used widely in Pennsylvania?
Statewide, approximately 70 water systems serving more than 4 million people—or one out of every three Pennsylvanians—use water treated with chloramine. Pennsylvania American Water brings years of experience providing chloraminated water in its community water systems, including Butler,
Norristown, Clarion, Yardley, Ellwood City, Butler, Connellsville, Mechanicsburg, Brownsville and Uniontown.
KIDNEY DIALYSIS PATIENTS
Why do kidney dialysis patients need to be concerned?
In the dialysis process, water comes in direct contact with the bloodstream. In this process, chloramine in water would be toxic, just as normal chlorine would be toxic. The chloramine content of this water can be removed by adding ascorbic acid or by filtering the water through granular activated carbon prior to use. Medical centers that perform dialysis are responsible for the proper pretreatment of the water supply. Consult your physician if you have any questions.
What should people with home dialysis machines do?
First, check with your physician. He/she will most likely recommend the appropriate type of treatment. Many home dialysis service companies are able to make the necessary modifications.
Can dialysis patients drink and use chloraminated water?
Yes. Everyone can drink the water because the digestive process neutralizes the chloramine before it reaches the bloodstream. Even kidney dialysis patients can drink, cook and bathe in the water.
FISH OWNERS
How do chloramines affect fish, reptiles, turtles and amphibians?
Both chlorine and chloramine are toxic to fish in very low levels and must be removed from the water to be used in an aquarium. Most pet stores sell disinfectant-removal products that can be added to the tap water prior to introduction to the fish tank or pond. Consult your local pet store for recommended products that will remove chloramine prior to use.
If I let my tap water sit prior to using it for my fish tank, will it remove the chloramine?
Chloramine is a very stable disinfectant and will remain in water for weeks. If you do not want to use a disinfectant-removal chemical. We recommend you purchase a granular activated carbon filter approved by the NSF for chloramine removal. Please visit their Web site at:
http://www.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU/.
Does chloramine have to be removed if only a small amount of water is used to top off a fish tank or pond?
Generally, it is wise to remove chloramine from water used for fish or aquatic life. This will provide the maximum protection for your pets.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The U.S. EPA and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection provide additional information and answers to commonly asked questions on their websites. For links to these organizations’ information about chloramine and more, visit www.evans-city.com. Under “Departments,” select “Water & Sewer.” For more information, contact Evans City Water and Sewer Authority at 724-538-8320.
