Am I the only one that thinks the smell and taste of chlorine in the water has increased a lot in the last couple weeks?
Des Moines Water...
- Thread starter ISUonthemove
- Start date
Yeah it was on the news the other day. Something about having to kill off the increased bacteria or something.
I love it how melting snow is contaiminating our water, in other words WTF is untreated snow melt doing in the water supply? Makes me feel so safe.
DSM gets most of its water from either the Des Moines or Raccoon river.
It smells terrible right now. I thought my softener was kaput at first.
Yeah it's nearing swimming pool levels at my place I think. I guess that's the price you pay for safe water.
Does that come with or without the urine that the 6 year old peed into the pool? :wink:
Des Moines Water Works - Home
News Releases
Contact Name: Randy Beavers
Interim General Manager
(515) 283-8734
Date: February 29, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TASTE AND ODOR ISSUES DUE TO SPRING MELTING
For the next several weeks there may be a stronger-than-normal chlorine or “swimming pool” smell in your water. Chlorine disinfectant is added to the water, and the amount used is carefully managed and monitored. Chlorine levels in the water leaving our treatment plants are tested automatically every minute of every day.
Disinfection with chlorine is more difficult when ammonia is present in Des Moines Water Works’ source waters. Ammonia consumes chlorine, leaving it unavailable for disinfection. Ammonia levels can spike upward during snowmelt and after heavy rainfalls. This requires addition of extra chlorine to eliminate the ammonia and maintain adequate disinfection. These high-ammonia events can last from two hours to as long as two weeks.
Rest assured, that the water is still entirely safe to use for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Chlorine levels are monitored closely and never exceed the maximum allowable limit set by EPA.
News Releases
Contact Name: Randy Beavers
Interim General Manager
(515) 283-8734
Date: February 29, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TASTE AND ODOR ISSUES DUE TO SPRING MELTING
For the next several weeks there may be a stronger-than-normal chlorine or “swimming pool” smell in your water. Chlorine disinfectant is added to the water, and the amount used is carefully managed and monitored. Chlorine levels in the water leaving our treatment plants are tested automatically every minute of every day.
Disinfection with chlorine is more difficult when ammonia is present in Des Moines Water Works’ source waters. Ammonia consumes chlorine, leaving it unavailable for disinfection. Ammonia levels can spike upward during snowmelt and after heavy rainfalls. This requires addition of extra chlorine to eliminate the ammonia and maintain adequate disinfection. These high-ammonia events can last from two hours to as long as two weeks.
Rest assured, that the water is still entirely safe to use for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Chlorine levels are monitored closely and never exceed the maximum allowable limit set by EPA.
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Um - how exactly does chlorine kill ammonia? Last time I checked both were chemical compounds - not living material that needed to be killed.
Sorry, I should have said "offset".
From the article:
Eliminate, kill, offset...its all the same.:wink:
Untreated snow is not what's contaminating the water. It is the untreated snow melting and draining into the Racoon River and with all the incoming drainage it is making the river faster moving and a lot more turbulent currents, which cause all the fish poop to be stirred up into the water which is then fed into the water treatment plant that provides the water for your house.
Chlorine (Cl) and Ammonia (NH3) will combine to form a salt. It will make two hazardous things into something you can safely live in your water.
