Facts About Chloramines

Pinellas County Utilities changed the disinfection process for potable (drinking) water from chlorine to chloramines (2002). Chloramine is a form of disinfectant produced by combining chlorine with ammonia. Both chloramine and chlorine are disinfectants that destroy potentially harmful bacteria in the potable water system.
It was necessary to change to chloramines because our water supplier, Tampa Bay Water, changed its disinfectant to chloramines. Tampa Bay Water changed the regional water supply from groundwater only to a mixture of groundwater, surface water and desalinated water. Chloramines are more effective in disinfecting surface water.
Chloramines have been used safely in the United States and Canada for many years. Tampa and Miami/Dade are among the cities in Florida which use chloramines as part of their water treatment process.
For most normal uses of potable water, chloraminated water is the same as chlorinated water. There are two groups of people, however, who need to take special care with chloraminated water: kidney dialysis patients and fish owners.
Chloramines must be removed from the water used in the kidney dialysis process and from water that is used in fish tanks and ponds.

For more information, see the links below or contact Customer Service at (727) 464-4000.