PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Heads up, Pinellas County residents – your tap water may taste a little different in the coming weeks.
The county will temporarily change its method of water treatment from chloramine to chlorine disinfection between Monday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 14. This may cause a slight difference in the taste or smell of tap water, but county officials say it won't affect water pressure or disrupt service.
Pinellas County's water disinfection program, conducted twice each year, is designed to keep the quality of the county's running water consistent and to try to prevent future water contamination and other safety issues.
Currently, county officials say there have been no indications of any significant bacteria contamination in the system and that the county's water supply will continue to be safe to drink, according to federal and state standards.
The temporary change in water disinfection should primarily affect Pinellas County Utilities water customers as well as customers in Clearwater, Pinellas Park and Safety Harbor.
Kidney dialysis patients should not be affected, but officials recommend they contact their dialysis care provider for more information about chlorine disinfection and how it affects their treatment.
Fish owners should not be affected if they already have a system to remove chloramines, but they should contact local pet suppliers with any questions.
Chlorine had been the primary disinfectant in the Pinellas County water supply for more than 50 years. The county switched to chloramine in 2002 to comply with federal standards. Many communities that use chloramine have short, semi-annual periods of converting back to chlorine in order to maintain system water quality.
For more information, please visit pinellas.gov/utilities or contact Pinellas County Utilities Business & Customer Services at 727-464-4000.