Countywide : Agency Will Change Water Disinfectant
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Orange County residents may notice a different flavor and odor in their tap water beginning June 15, when the region’s water agency will temporarily switch the way the supply is purified.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which provides about half the water consumed in Orange County, will use chlorine, instead of chloramines, as a disinfectant for at least a month. The change is part of normal annual maintenance to try to control buildup of pollutants.
Residents in parts of Orange County that are heavily reliant on imported water--mostly from Irvine to the South County border--may find the taste and smell changes most noticeable.
“It is important that the public understand that any taste and odor changes they may notice do not affect the water quality health aspects in any way,” said Stanley Sprague, general manager of the Municipal Water District of Orange County.
The switch in disinfectants will affect the entire area served by the Metropolitan Water District, which covers Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.
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