West View Water, Cranberry’s sole supplier of drinking water, will begin to transition its water treatment process from chlorine to chloramine starting May 5. The purpose of the seasonal switch is to satisfy EPA standards concerning undesirable byproducts of disinfection using chlorine, which are at higher levels during warm weather months. Chloramines are widely accepted as safe and effective for the prevention of waterborne parasites causing sickness. Customers should not notice any changes resulting from the transition, except, perhaps, less chlorine taste and odor.
Water treated with chloramines is safe for all regular water uses. But like chlorine, chloramines must be removed from the water prior to dialysis treatment. Also like chlorine, chloramines are harmful to fish, amphibians and reptiles, so they need to be removed from water before using it in aquariums and ponds.
To find out more about chloramines, go to any of these websites:
www.epa.gov/safewater/disinfection/chloramine
www.depweb.state.pa.us/news/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=527537
www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?A=171&Q=248993