Fayetteville Public Works Commission kicked off its yearly water treatment switch on March 1. For one month, the utility will use free chlorine instead of chloramine to clean drinking water.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality mandates this annual swap for all water systems that rely on chloramines. Bacteria can grow inside pipes if the same disinfectant runs through them year-round.
Some customers might catch a faint chlorine smell during these four weeks. Others may see their water look different or taste odd. PWC told residents in a Feb. 23 announcement that these shifts pose no health risks…