City of Ottawa Annual Free Chlorine Burnout
August 05, 2026
Starting Monday August 17th 2026. The City of Ottawa will be doing their annual maintenance of flushing the entire distribution system. This will go on for the next 3-4 weeks. We purchase a portion of our water from the city so we will also be doing our annual maintenance. You may experience low pressure, cloudy water or the strong smell of chlorine. Daily testing of the water will be done and we assure you that your water is clean and safe.Annual Free Chlorine Burnout Explained
• Why are we temporarily switching from chloramines to free chlorine?
Chloramine is a very stable and long-lasting disinfectant in water systems. As a maintenance activity to optimize the water quality of the distribution system, the water plant will switch to free chlorine for disinfection for a period of about one month, or until the distribution system has been completely flushed for the following reasons: Remove any biofilm and bacteria from the water distribution system pipes; Reduce the formation of nitrates and nitrites (nitrification); Reduce any taste and odor complaints; This maintenance process is recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). After distribution system flushing is completed, the water plant will resume disinfection utilizing chloramines.
• During this maintenance process, is the water safe to drink and use?
Yes. The water is safe to drink and use as normal. Customers may notice slight discoloration/cloudiness or chlorine odor, but it is safe to use. Water users sensitive to chlorine or chloramine should take normal precautions.
• What effects may customers observe during this maintenance/flushing process? Customers may see some of the following during this maintenance process:
A slight discoloration or cloudiness in the water;
A slight chlorine odor or taste;
Minor fluctuations in water pressures while flushing is occurring;
Minor discoloration in the water due to flushing the system;
Utility crews operating fire hydrants to flush the system.
Many customers may not notice any change in the water.
Critical users such as hospitals, dialysis groups, pet/aquatic/pond companies, companies that use water for processing, and other water users sensitive to chloramines or free chlorine should consult with their professionals about their internal treatment procedures.
• What should customers do if they experience any discoloration or odor?
Run the cold water tap for two minutes. Run it for five to 10 minutes when water is not used for several hours.
Refrigerate cold tap water in an open pitcher. Within a few hours, the chlorine taste and odor will disappear.
Some filters may reduce the chlorine taste and smell. It is recommended to use devices that are installed at your faucet tap or pitcher-style filters. Use a filter certified to meet NSF standards and replace the filter as recommended by the manufacturer.
