Understanding Chlorine Dosings

If you own a travel cup that includes a straw or has a stainless steel straw that you use for different drinks, you clean it on a regular basis. Washing the straw with soap (a disinfectant) is the regular maintenance you perform to keep the straw clean. When the City performs a chlorine dosing of its water system, it is performing a basic maintenance procedure to clean out the straw (our pipes) through which you receive your drinking water.

Drinking Water Treatment

Drinking water is treated in order to make it safe and palatable to drink. Part of that treatment process is disinfection. In Titusville, our primary disinfectant is chloramine. Chloramines are formed when ammonia combines with the chlorine. Chloramines have a lower disinfection power than free (only) chlorine but they reduce the taste and smell of chlorine in the water.

Purpose of Chlorine Dosing

The purpose of a chlorine dosing is to ensure you always receive the highest quality drinking water. So, during a dosing we do not add any ammonia during our treatment in order to optimize the effectiveness of the chlorine. It is the lack of ammonia (and the resulting chloramines) that cause you to taste and smell the chlorine in your drinking water.

During a chlorine dosing, your water remains safe for drinking, cooking, bathing, and other everyday uses. Water quality is constantly monitored during a dosing to ensure it meets regulated safety standards.