Monroe Water System to conduct chlorine burn, 3 other water systems will be affected

Update: Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at 11:45am:

The City of Monroe will be conducting a chlorine burn of their water system beginning November 28, 2016 and ending around February 12, 2017. This will affect Greater Ouachita Water Company customers in the following water systems: North Monroe Water System,

Lakeshore Swartz Water System, and Green Acres Water System.

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Original Story:

In order to provide the most effective disinfection process, the City of Monroe Water System is making a temporary change in the type of disinfectant used in the water supply starting on November 28, 2016 and ending around February 12, 2017. This will be the 3rd year of us conducting this precautionary process. It is typical for water systems that use chloramines to temporarily change to chlorine in order to clean water pipes and provide a reliable disinfectant residual throughout all points in the distribution system. Free chlorine is proven to be more effective in killing organisms within the pipes of the distribution system.

The City of Monroe Water System monitors the disinfectant residual in the distribution system on a daily basis. This measurement tells us whether we are effectively disinfecting the water supply. The disinfectant residual is the amount of chlorine or chloramines in the distribution system. Chlorine and chloramines are common disinfectants used by water suppliers to kill bacteria in drinking water; therefore, if the disinfectant residual is too low, microorganisms can potentially grow in the distribution piping.

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FAQ

Question: When is this switch scheduled?

The temporary switch from chloramines to free chlorine will occur November 28, 2016 through February 12, 2017. If a longer duration is required, then we will continue to use free chlorine as long as necessary.

Question: What is being done?

We are going to change the distribution system disinfectant from chloramines to free chlorine. Although the level of disinfectant will remain the same, the type of disinfectant will change.

We will continue to monitor the chlorine levels throughout the water system.

Question: What should I do?

You do not need to boil your water or take other actions. This is not an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.

Question: What can I do if I notice a chlorine taste or smell?

During the temporary switch, you may notice a chlorine taste and/or odor in your drinking water. Chlorine levels will continue to meet EPA standards and are not a health risk.

+ Run the cold water tap for several minutes when water is not used for several days.

+ Collect and refrigerate cold tap water in an open pitcher. Be sure to collect water after running the cold water tap for two minutes. Within a few hours, the chlorine taste and odor will disappear.

+ Water filters can reduce chlorine taste and smell. Be sure to use a filter certified to meet National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) standards and replace the filter cartridge as recommended by the manufacturer.

Question: Who should take special precautions during the temporary switch to Chlorine?

Customers who normally take special precautions to remove chloramine from tap water, such as dialysis centers, medical facilities and aquatic pet owners, should continue to take the same precautions during the temporary switch to chlorine. Most methods for removing chloramine from tap water are effective in removing chlorine.