Fayetteville PWC Begins Annual Switch to Free Chlorine Disinfection
You may notice changes in your tap waters taste and color this month due to PWC conducting its annual water treatment switch.
Fayetteville Public Works Commission kicked off its yearly water treatment switch on March 1. For one month, the utility will use free chlorine instead of chloramine to clean drinking water.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality mandates this annual swap for all water systems that rely on chloramines. Bacteria can grow inside pipes if the same disinfectant runs through them year-round.
Some customers might catch a faint chlorine smell during these four weeks. Others may see their water look different or taste odd. PWC told residents in a Feb. 23 announcement that these shifts pose no health risks.
"PWC will continuously monitor disinfectant levels to ensure safety and reliability," the release said, according to the Fayetteville Observer.
Workers may flush hydrants during the switch, which could temporarily drop water pressure or make tap water cloudy. These issues don't last long and clear up once crews finish flushing pipes.
