Annual Water System Cleaning Underway

The town water system's annual cleaning is underway and will continue through the first few days of April, which means residents may get some discolored water, a musty odor or a strong chlorine odor during the process.

But, the water is safe to use and drink.

Some residents may also notice lower than normal water pressure for short periods of time due to system flushing.

Johnston County Public Utilities, the town's water supplier, will be treating the water with free chlorine during March and early April, and the Public Works Department will be flushing the town's water pipes beginning March 7 to clean out the system. The process should be completed by mid April.

Water discoloration during system flushing is usually caused by a buildup of iron and manganese that has oxidized out of the water onto the lining of the pipes, producing a brownish color when disturbed by high water flow. Though they also sometimes cause a musty smell and taste, the minerals are naturally occurring and offer no health issues.

Our water is routinely treated with the standard disinfectant Chloramine, which is a mixture of chlorine and ammonia, to keep it safe. Chloramine has many advantages over chlorine, such as fewer disinfection byproducts, better protection against bacterial re-growth and better taste and smell. But, since it is a much milder chemical, the occasional use of chlorine is necessary to give the system a disinfectant boost.

Once the system cleaning is finished, the county will be using a new disinfectant process in some parts of its service area, including the Riverwood Athletic Club area of Clayton. Instead of using Chloramine, they'll be using small amounts of chlorine and a new "Deionization" process. As a result, the water may have a slight chlorine smell.

For more information, please contact the Public Works Department at 553-1530, Johnston County Public utilities at 989-5075 or visit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) web site on drinking water at http://www.epa.gov/safewater