Why is chlorine or chloramine added to the water?
All drinking water suppliers using surface water are required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use disinfectants to eliminate pathogenic organisms in drinking water supplies. Utilities must maintain a residual disinfectant throughout the drinking water distribution system to control bacterial growth (i.e., secondary disinfection). Chlorine and/or chloramine are added to the water for this purpose. The change of disinfectants or treatment process is always preceded by many years of careful planning and testing.
