City of Huntsville to switch to Chloramine

[Tomoko Schum]

I understand that the city of Huntsville is doing some preliminary studies to switch the water disinfectant from Chlorine to Chloramine. They don't seem to have any plan to inform aquarists when the switch will take place.

For reefers who use RODI system, this should not be a problem as long as we keep our prefilters changed routinely and in a timely manner. It may use up our DI resin a bit faster, but that's not a big deal.

Those who use tap water for fresh water tanks or reef tanks need to treat the water with chloramine remover such as Amquel, Prime, or equivalent.

Here's a good article for Chloramine and reef aquarium by Dr. Randy Holmes-Farley.

Tomoko

 

[Eddie Baby]

Is it cheaper to use Chloramine? I guess it must be since that what drives most decisions these days. Whatever the reason, that's too bad. I guess they aren't going to say 'when' because they have multiple treatment plants or something?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

The primary reasons are listed in the article that I attached:

"In recent years it has often replaced chlorine for two main reasons. The first is that it is much longer lasting, so it continues to provide a disinfectant action in supply pipes, where chlorine typically loses its capacity to disinfect. The second is that it does not react with organics nearly as readily as does chlorine. The reaction products of chlorine and organics (chlorinated organics) are very toxic to people, and water supply operators elect to use chloramine to reduce this toxicity."

I heard that the city is considering to switch to Chloramine primarily due to health concerns to the general public. The switch has no direct impact to general public except for those who keep aquarium. The waterboard underestimated the implication to the aquarium hobby. According to a source, it did not evidently occur to them that there are a lot of aquarium hobbyists in the area who (or whose aquariums) will be affected by the change.

 

[mike_dani]

I have had my suspicions on their use of chloramines, but everytime I have asked they have assured me this is not in use...... Good looking out Tomoko, I have contacted BRS to put together some Chloramine specific retro kits for our RO/DI units. I know there is a specific carbon block that has a useful life of 2500 gallons, this is incoming water rating and not produced water rating. I will keep NARC informed when they arrive.

 

[jason.tammy]

Mike have you gone to Florida yet.Been busy with job and have been south of here everyday till dark.I will try to get in touch with you this weekend.Sorry not tring to hijack.LOL
Jason

 

[beaslbob]

FWIW

Harvest monrovia water authority has used chloramine for years.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

"Chloramine specific retro kits for our RO/DI units" might be a good idea regardless of the switch to chloramine since our city seems to add some extra chlorine as a safe measure when a construction crew breaks a water main.

 

[H@rry]

Does that affect Madison water supply?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

The city of Madison buys water from Huntsville during the summer. I suspect that the city have to add extra chlorine from time to time due to the tie-in's and mishaps with all the construction of new subdivisions here.