If you think your water smells like a swimming pool over the next few weeks, don't worry. It's all part of an annual flushing of the water distribution system in Raleigh and surrounding areas, the city announced Thursday (February 25). Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday (February 27), Raleigh Water will temporarily stop adding ammonia to its water treatment disinfecting process in order to follow federal and state-mandated requirements. The normal process will resume at 10 a.m. April 13.
For three weeks each year, the public water systems switch from chloramine disinfection to chlorine-only disinfection, as recommended by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. This may result in water that can smell and taste like chlorine. Despite this, the City of Raleigh reminds residents that the water will remain "absolutely safe" during this process. Those who wish to do so can boil or filter the water before use.
According to WRAL, the Town of Cary warned residents with chlorine sensitivity and those who use water for kidney dialysis machines or fish aquariums that the water may temporarily contain chlorine, ammonia, or mixture of both at the start and end of the process.
Other facilities temporarily flushing the water systems include Durham, Cary/Apex, Smithfield, and Hillsborough. For more details on when their processes begin and end, visit WRAL.
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