Thursday December 30, 2020 | LANGFORD, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., editor | Island Social Trends
More chlorine than usual in the Greater Victoria water supply happens at various times of the year, more often in summer when warmer water conditions require additional bacterial and microbial control.
Some people in Greater Victoria are noticing a stronger smell of chlorine in the tap water supply in recent days, in this last week of the December. CRD Integrated Water Services has received about three or four inquiries from the public.
“The temporary adjustments to the disinfection process may lead to a stronger than usual chlorine smell and taste in some parts of Greater Victoria,” it was stated in a news release yesterday from the Capital Regional District (CRD) Integrated Water Services department.
CRD says it’s some “operational activities” that necessitated what they’re calling a “process adjustment”. The adjustment is expected to last until January 15, 2021.
Regular maintenance:
The maintenance and repairs include some tank cleaning and upgrading of water lines, according to Ian Jesney, Senior Manager, Infrastructure Engineering, with CRD Integrated Water Services. He says this sort of work was last done on the system at the water plant in the Japan Gulch ultraviolet disinfection facility in the west shore about a year and a half ago.
“The safety of the drinking water is not affected throughout this period,” says Jesney. He says people may notice more of a chlorine odour, more so if their home is located closer to the plant including in Langford, Colwood or View Royal. (Water for the Sooke area is processed through a different facility.)
The water in Greater Victoria is chloraminated. Ammonia extends the life of chlorine in the water, explains Jesney. During the repairs being done, the ammonia has been shut off. “So when you shut the ammonia down you have to up the chlorine a bit to extend the life,” Jesney told Island Social Trends today.
Reducing the chlorine smell (content):
Chlorine is a volatile chemical, which means it vaporizes easily. “To mitigate any unpleasant smell and taste, residents may choose to use regular tap filters or let the tap water stand for 30 minutes prior to consumption,” says Jesney.
Chlorine is a gas at room temperature, so the warmer the air, the faster it will disperse. You can leave your water in an open jug in your fridge too (takes about 24 hours for the chlorine to clear, but then so does the disinfectant aspect).
Boiling the water (such as for tea and coffee, or while cooking) will also off-gas the chlorine. Boiled water — that is then cooled down and free of chlorine — is a good way to pamper your indoor houseplants.
In the CRD water disinfection system, primary water disinfection kills organisms in the water as it enters the system. Secondary disinfection provides a residual disinfectant as the water travels through the distribution system.
Public tours:
Public tours of the CRD watershed and the area around the disinfection facility are usually held each year, except for this year during the pandemic, says Jesney.
