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Notice of Transition from Free Chlorine to Chloramination for Disinfection of Water
Beginning June 27, 2005 the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-VPI Water Authority changed its method of disinfecting drinking water, from free chlorine to chloramination, a process in which ammonia is added to chlorinated water. The change is being made to continue to comply with increasingly stringent federal and state regulations on levels of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water.
Water supplied to customers at Virginia Tech, and the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, will be affected by this change, as well as some Montgomery County residents on public water systems that purchase water from the Towns.
Free chlorine is used as the primary disinfectant at the water plant. By combining this free chlorine with a small amount of ammonia as the water leaves the plant, we make the residual chlorine unavailable for combination with DBP precursor compounds which reduces the production of DBPs. The combined chlorine, or chloramines, will be the disinfecting agent for protecting the water supply against bacterial contamination in the supply system. A residual of approximately 3 mg / L will be maintained throughout the system, but that concentration decreases as water ages in the distribution system before it is used.
Industrial users of water may need to review or alter their onsite treatment procedures (such as dechlorination) in order to minimize adverse impacts to their operation. If you chlorinate or dechlorinate large amounts of water, please contact the Water Authority at 540-639-2575 so that we can assist you in adjusting to this change.
If you have any questions or information that may be of value in the administration of this program, please contact me at the Water Authority, or call on one of the representatives listed below.
Sincerely,
Jerry Higgins
jhiggins@h2o4u.org
Other Contacts
| Town of Christiansburg |
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Town of Blacksburg |
| Barry Helms |
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Randy Formica |
| 540-382-6128 |
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540-961-1126 |
| astmgr@christiansburg.org |
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rformica@blacksburg.gov |
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| Montgomery County PSA |
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Virginia Tech |
| Glenna Turner |
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Mark Owczarski |
| 540-382-6930 |
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540-231-5223 |
| gwturner@ntellos.net |
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maoczar@vt.edu |
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