The town water system's annual cleaning is underway, 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.

Johnston County Utilities, the town's water supplier, will treat the water with free chlorine through March. The Public Works Department will flush the town's water pipes to clean out the system.

Our water is routinely treated with the standard disinfectant Chloramine 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.

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.

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

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