| Why
will Arnprior use chloramine? |
- Chloramine
is a more stable and persistent disinfectant. It preserves
the quality of the purified water as it travels through
Arnprior’s large and expanding water distribution system;
- Chloramine
helps to reduce disinfection by-products such as
trihalomethanes (THMs) in the water;
- Chloramine
reduces the taste and odour of chlorine in tap water.
|
| Is
chloramine safe? |
Yes.
Chloramine has been used safely in
Canada
and the
United States
for
years. Many water
utilities are in the process of switching to chloramine because
of its benefits.
The
Ontario
Ministry of Environment (MOE) and Health
Canada
recognize chloramine as a safe disinfectant that reduces the
formation of disinfection by-products and disease-causing
organisms. Chloraminated
water is safe for drinking and all water uses.
Note:
Kidney dialysis
patients and fish owners must take special care with
chloraminated water. Please
refer to the sections titles Medical Information and Information
for Fish Owners. |
| What
are trihalomethanes (THMs)? |
THMs
are chemical compounds that form when chlorine mixes with
naturally occurring organic material in water.
These compounds are suspected carcinogens.
The MOE and Health
Canada
have set
a standard of 100 parts per billion (ppb)* as the safe maximum
level of THMs in drinking water, based on a lifetime of
consumption.
*Note:
One ppb is comparable to one second in 32 years, or 1¢
in $ 10,000,000. |
| Does
Arnprior’s water meet the standard for THMs in drinking water? |
Yes.
The use of chloramine instead of chlorine as a
purification agent is expected to reduce the current average
concentration from 81ppm to the 40 ppm range, which is well
below the 100 ppm set by the Ministry of Environment. |
| Does
using chloramine increase the cost of water? |
No.
The cost of using chloramine is about the same as using
chlorine. |
| Do
home water softeners remove chloramine? |
Most water
softeners are not designed to remove chloramine. |
| Does
bottled water have chloramine? |
Normally
it does not. Bottled
water could contain chloramine if the company uses water
supplied by the Town (or another municipality) as its water
source. |
| Does
the pH of water remain the same with chloramine? |
Yes, the
pH remains the same. The
normal pH range for the town’s water is 6.4 to 7.4.
|
| What
does chloraminated water taste like? |
Chloramine
itself is colourless, tasteless and odourless.
In comparison to chlorinated water, chloraminated water
does not have a strong chlorine taste. |
| If
chloramine is such an effective disinfectant, why is it not used
in every community? |
While the
public often considers all drinking water to be the same, the
local raw water and water distribution conditions determine the
best option for each particular community.
Both chlorine and chloramine have their own advantages
and disadvantages. Given
sufficient contact time, chloramine is as effective as chlorine
in destroying bacteria. While
chlorine works more quickly, it does not last as long in the
water as chloramine. |
| Is
chloramine safe for swimming pools? |
Yes.
Your pool still requires a free-chlorine residual to
delay algae and bacterial growth.
Test kits measure free-chlorine residuals and can be used
with confidence. Contact
your local pool supply store for details. |
| Is
it okay to use chloraminated water on plants, vegetables and
fruit trees? |
Yes.
The small amount of chloramine present in the water
should not affect plants of any type.
Beneficial bacteria are generally protected by the soil
in which they live. |
|
MEDICAL
INFORMATION |
| Is
it safe to wash a cut or open wound with chloraminated water? |
Yes.
Even a large amount of water can be used to clean a cut
or wound because no water enters the bloodstream |
| Since
chloramine should not enter the bloodstream, is it safe to drink
chloraminated water? |
Yes.
Everyone can drink water that is chloraminated because
the digestive process neutralizes the chloramine before it
reaches the bloodstream. |
| Can
people with kidney ailments, on low-sodium diets, or with
diabetes use chloraminated water? |
Yes.
People with the medical conditions can use chloraminated
water for cooking, drinking and bathing.
Chloramine must be removed from the water used in
dialysis machines. |
| Why
do kidney dialysis patients have to take special precautions? |
In the
dialysis process, water comes into contact with the blood across
a permeable membrane. Chloramine
in that water could be toxic, and must be removed from water
used in kidney dialysis machines.
To remove chloramine, add a neutralizing chemical to the
water or use a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter.
If you have any questions please contact your
physician. |
| Do
hospitals or medical centres that perform kidney dialysis within
the Town know about chloramine? |
All
hospitals and medical centres with dialysis units are being
informed about the use of chloramine and remove it from their
source water. |
| How
should people with home dialysis machines remove chloramine? |
Contact
your physician. He
or she will recommend the appropriate type of water treatment
for you. |
| What
about people who are sensitive to chemicals? |
The amount
of chloramine is extremely small – no more the 2.2 milligram
per litre (mg/L), or 2.2 parts per million (ppm) of water.
This is the maximum amount of chloramine that is found in
the water as it leaves the purification plant.
If you are concerned that even this low concentration
might cause problems for you, consult or physician.
The predominant type of chloramine in the water is
monochloramine (NH2CI). |
|
INFORMATION
FOR FISH OWNERS |
| How
does chloramine affect fish? |
Chloramine,
like chlorine, is toxic to fish and must be removed from the
water. Because
chloramine does not dissipate as quickly as chlorine, special
steps must be taken for its removal.
Most pet stores sell dechlorinating agents and generally
recommend their use. Contact
your local pet supply store for details. |
| If
only a small amount of water is added to an aquarium or fish
pond to make up for evaporation loss, does chloramine still have
to be removed? |
This will
depend on two factors:
- The
amount of water added in relation to the size of the
aquarium or pond;
- The
period of time over which the water is added.
You may wish to monitor for a
total chlorine residual in the aquarium or pond water while
adding the chloraminated water.
Chloramine residuals in water used to keep fish should be
kept below 0.1 mg/L. Total
chlorine test kits are available from pet shops, pool supply
stores and chemical supply outlets.
You can also remove chloramine from tap water by boiling
it, or treating the water with an activated carbon filter.
Rain water is another source of chloramine-free water.
|
| Do
carbon filters remove chloramine? |
Yes.
However, the carbon filters must contain high quality
granular activated carbon and you must allow for sufficient
contact time of one minute or more. |
| Are
both saltwater and freshwater fish affected by chloramine? |
Yes.
Chloramine will affect saltwater fish the same way that
it affects freshwater fish. |
| If
tank or pond water is allowed to sit for a few days, will the
chloramine be naturally removed? |
No.
Unlike chlorine which dissipates when water sits for a
few days, chloramine may take weeks to disappear.
If you do not want to use a dechloraminating chemical,
the next best solution is to install an activated carbon filter
and allow for sufficient contact time. |
| What
are the effects of ammonia on fish? |
Although
all fish produce some ammonia as a natural by-product, ammonia
can be toxic to fish. When chloramine is chemically removed from
water, ammonia is released.
Although your fish may tolerate these ammonia levels,
commercial products are available at pet supply stores to remove
excess ammonia from the water.
In addition, biological filters, natural zeolites and pH
control methods are effective ways to reduce the toxic effects
of ammonia. |
