UM students may notice a stronger chlorine taste or smell in their tap water over the course of the next two weeks, but county officials say the change is temporary and the water remains safe to drink.
Housing and Residential Life notified students that the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department temporarily changed its drinking water disinfection process from chloramine to free chlorine beginning Sept. 28. The annual maintenance period will continue through Oct. 11.
This change is part of Miami-Dade County’s annual chlorine conversion, a process the county has conducted in coordination with the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County and the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources for more than 40 years.
During most of the year, WASD uses choramine, a combination of both chlorine and ammonia, to help disinfect drinking water. During the two-week maintenance period, the department switches to free chlorine, which provides a stronger temporary cleaning of the water distribution system.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says water utilities sometimes make this switch because layers of microorganisms, known as biofilms, can develop inside water pipes. A temporary switch to chlorine can help remove those layers, while chloramine is typically useful for routine treatment because it remains active in pipes longer than chlorine.
For most students, the only noticeable difference may be the taste or smell of the water. Both chlorine and chloramine are commonly used to disinfect drinking water, and the CDC says the low concentrations permitted in drinking water are considered safe.
WASD employees will also flush water lines throughout Miami-Dade County during the maintenance period to make sure the free chlorine reaches the entire distribution system. As a result, residents may temporarily experience lower-than-normal water pressure or cloudy water.
If tap water appears cloudy, WASD recommends allowing the water to run for three to five minutes until it becomes clear. The department says the temporary cloudiness does not affect the quality of the water.
There are additional precautions for some water users. WASD advises people undergoing dialysis to contact their healthcare providers and recommends that people caring for tropical fish or operating fish-holding tanks consult an aquarium professional. Chlorine and chloramine must be removed from water used for dialysis and can also be harmful to aquatic animals.
The county plans to return to its standard chloramine treatment after the maintenance period ends on Oct. 11.