The tap water in Allen may taste different than usual during the month of March.
According to a Monday announcement from the North Texas Municipal Water District, which provides drinking water and wastewater services to Allen and other cities in Collin County, a temporary change in water disinfectant will be in effect from March 1-29 as part of annual maintenance.
How and why is this being done?
The water supply normally consists of three chemicals: ozone, chlorine and ammonia. These chemicals are added to disinfect the water system while keeping the water from tasting or smelling foul.
Ammonia-chlorine solution (chloramines) is a less potent but longer-lasting disinfectant than chlorine itself. Chlorine also kills cellular life a lot quicker than chloramines.
During the four-week maintenance period, the ammonia will be removed from the water supply so that the chlorine can more effectively disinfect the pipelines (most of Allen’s drinking water is transported from Lake Lavon.)
“This is in advance for the summer, so this is a good time of year to do it,” said NTMWD Communications Director Wayne Larson, noting that increased temperatures create better environmental conditions for harmful bacteria to fester.
Is this safe?
Yes.
These procedures adhere to guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which limits the amount of chlorine water providers can inject. Chlorine in its usual concentration is not toxic to humans.
Ammonia in its normal concentration has also been determined to not be a health risk, according to the EPA and World Health Organization.
NTMWD’s water supply is routinely inspected by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). A quality report of the Wylie Water Treatment Plant, which services Allen, is published monthly.
What should residents do to manage any bad taste?
NTMWD has recommended various steps to mask or mitigate abnormal tastes, including refrigerating an open pitcher of water for a few hours and drinking the water with a slice of cucumber or citrus fruit.
To reduce the chlorinated taste during baths or showers, NTMWD recommended installing a filtrating shower head and crushing a vitamin C tablet in the bath water.
LINKS
Tips on how to reduce bad taste of tap water
Wylie Water Treatment Plant’s November 2021 quality analysis
Previous WWTP quality reports
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s assessment on this type of water treatment
[ad_2]
Originally Appeared Here