Pinellas Tap Water Switches to Chlorine for Three Weeks Starting Sept. 21

Pinellas County Utilities will temporarily switch the way it disinfects drinking water, moving from chloramine to chlorine from Monday, Sept. 21, through Saturday, Oct. 10. The change touches nearly every tap in the county's service area, along with customers in Belleair, Clearwater, Pinellas Park and Safety Harbor, and it means water may taste or smell a little different for about three weeks.

The county announced the switch Sept. 9, describing it as routine semiannual maintenance meant to improve water quality and cut the risk of problems building up in the system over time. Officials say there will be no impact to water pressure or service, and the water will keep meeting all federal and state safe drinking water standards throughout the changeover.

There's no indication of any bacteriological contamination driving the switch. It's simply a maintenance step Pinellas County Utilities runs on a regular schedule, alternating between the two disinfectants to keep the distribution system healthy.

Who needs to pay attention

Most households won't need to do anything differently. Drinking, cooking, bathing and watering the garden are all fine during the switch. Two groups should take a closer look at their routines, though.

Kidney dialysis patients aren't expected to be affected, but the county is advising them to check with their dialysis care provider as a precaution. Dialysis machines typically pre-treat incoming water to strip out chlorine and chloramines, but it's worth confirming that pre-treatment covers the temporary switch back to straight chlorine.

Fish owners face a bit more to think about. Anyone with an aquarium, pond, or tank that already has a chloramine-removal system in place should be fine. Households that don't have one should contact a local pet supplier before Sept. 21 to ask about a water conditioner or activated carbon filter, since chlorine and chloramines behave differently in water once they leave the tap.

Why the county alternates disinfectants

Pinellas County Utilities has used chloramines as its primary disinfectant for years, a method adopted after Tampa Bay Water expanded the region's water supply to include groundwater, surface water and desalinated water. Chloramines cut down on the cancer-causing compounds that can form when chlorine reacts with organic material in surface water, and they're used in many cities across the country.

But chloramines linger in the system for weeks rather than evaporating the way chlorine does, so utilities periodically switch back to straight chlorine to flush the system and keep it in good working order. Pinellas has done this maintenance switch on a recurring basis, and this round runs a little under three weeks.

The switch back to chloramine disinfection is expected once the maintenance period ends Oct. 10, though the county has not announced an exact date for the changeover to complete. Residents with questions can reach Pinellas County Utilities Customer Service at (727) 464-4000 or visit pinellas.gov/utilities for more information.

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