Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) If you live in D.C. or Arlington – or in a small part of Fairfax County – you may notice something a little different with your water. That’s because the water in the Washington Aqueduct, which services those areas, is being disinfected with chlorine instead of chloramine from Monday through April 17.
“There’s nothing bad at all. It’s still the exact same water. It’s just gonna smell a little different temporarily,” said D.C. Water spokesman Vincent Morris.
Each spring, the water is treated with chlorine for a month, in what is essentially a planned chemistry shakeup.
“It’s just important to mix up the different chemicals that you use in the process periodically so you don’t get too much buildup of the chemical inside the pipe,” said Morris.
If you don’t like the smell, you can let the water sit in a pitcher, and the odor will dissipate, said Morris. Water filters are also effective at getting rid of it. Morris said the taste shouldn’t be far off from usual.
Dialysis centers, medical facilities and aquatic pet owners who usually take steps to get the chloramine out of their water can use the same methods to remove the chlorine.
For more information, you can call D.C. Water Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 202-612-3440, or anytime at 202-612-3400.
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