For one month, April 7, 2007 through May 7, 2007, citizens in the District of Columbia may notice a slight chlorine taste and odor in their drinking water due to a temporary change in the disinfectant that is added at the water treatment plant. The Washington Aqueduct, a division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who treats the water, will switch the disinfectant from chloramines to chlorine during this one-month period.

The temporary change in water chemistry does not affect drinking water safety. Users who take special precautions to remove chlorine from tap water such as dialysis centers, medical facilities or aquatic pet owners should take note of this temporary addition of chlorine in the water treatment process and act accordingly.

•If you are a home user of a kidney dialysis machine, contact your dialysis center in order to make any modifications to your dialysis machine.

•If you own aquatic pets, you may want to contact a pet supply store to ensure proper usage of dechlorination chemicals.

The periodic disinfectant change is an industry-wide practice to keep water mains clean and free of harmful bacteria. This process along with WASA’s vigorous flushing program helps loosen sediments that may accumulate in the distribution system.

Customers may notice a slight temporary discoloration of the water. Simply run the faucet until the water turns clear. In the unlikely event your water is discolored and remains cloudy please contact our Water Quality Division at (202) 612-3440 Mon.-Fri., 8 am – 4:30 pm or (202) 612-3400, 24 hours a day for assistance