Chloramine is not chlorine (was Re: [Killietalk] Drip emiters vs. valves)

[Wright Huntley <whuntley at verizon_net>]

George,

Sorry if I sound like a cracked record, here, but we do *not* have 
chlorine in our water, in the vast bulk of the US!

George & Melanie wrote:
> I am sure water quality varies per local, 

Not as much as it used to, before EPA mandated that some ammonium be 
added to the chlorine to form the more-stable chloramine in almost all 
community water supplies. It's a simple, cheap change that reduces 
cancer. [Unfortunately it has other effects on fish.]


> but when you are talking of a 
> partial water change I am not sure how critiacal it is to have 100 
> percent of the chlorine removed. 

IMHO, it is far more important to have no *chloramine*, as it has proven 
to cause severe reproductive problems in killifish at sub-lethal dose 
levels. [IDK that chlorine ever did that.]


> If you live in a area that has such a 
> high concentration of chlorine in your water mild aeration may help in 
> the chlorine removal. 

Most unlikely, any more, George. Test, before and after. If the chlorine 
reading was reduced, you don't have chloramine. If not, you do. You need 
to run this test every single time, because EPA compliance is sometimes 
spotty, and local districts are notorious for not warning customers when 
they change over to chloramine (i.e., start to add a little bit of 
ammonium).


> In all cases common sense prevails.

My point, exactly.

Wright

> Wright Huntley wrote:
>
> > George,
> >
> > George & Melanie wrote:
> >
> > > Sounds like you need a water storage drum in your garage. You could 
> > > fill that drum from your outside hose. Then let the water  sit for a 
> > > day or two. This will let the chlorine disapate ...
> >
> >
> >
> > There is almost no place left in this country, where the chlorine will 
> > dissipate in a "day or two." The typical half-life, now that they have 
> > learned to add a bit of ammonium is much more like 5 weeks.
> >
> > I don't mean to disparage your advice, but I feel it is dangerous to 
> > let anyone think we are still living in the era when chlorine (not 
> > chloramine) was the disinfectant of choice. Once they found that it 
> > caused carcinogenic compounds, there has been a strong campaign by EPA 
> > to convert *every* municipal water source to chloramine. It won't 
> > dissipate, and using hypo or other old-fashioned dechlor products will 
> > produce a deadly burst of ammonium/ammonia. If pH is above about 7.5 
> > (also EPA mandated), look out!
> >
> > You have to live in a mighty rural area to still have chlorine as the 
> > primary disinfectant. In my situation I have none, but one or two 
> > wells in the Bishop area still test high enough for bacteria that they 
> > do use it. [I'll be surprised if they get through this year without 
> > adding enough ammonium to form chloramine, tho.]
> >
> > The best is to be aware and to test and read your water reports. The 
> > big problem is that lethal levels of ammonia are way below the minimum 
> > reading of the test kits we can afford. If in doubt, it is safest to 
> > assume that chloramine is present, and act accordingly.
> >
> > Wright


--
Wright Huntley -- 760 872-3995 -- Rt. 001 Box K36, Bishop CA 93514

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