SHORELANDS WATER CO., INC.
1709 Union Avenue ~ P.O. Box 158 ~ Hazlet, NJ 07730 ~ (732) 264-7300 ~ (732) 264-6154 Fax

CHLORAMINES

Shorelands Water Company (SWC) is advising its customers that treated water which is delivered to us from New Jersey American Water (NJAW Co) will be disinfected with Chloramines instead of Chlorine starting in May of 2012.

Due to mandatory cut backs in ground water usage in 1990, SWC was required to purchase approximately 50% of its water supply from NJAW Co. in varying amounts throughout the year. SWC will not be changing to Chloramines and will continue to utilize Chlorine for disinfection. This will result in a mix of chlorinated and chloraminanted water from April through September each year. During the months of October through March water will be disinfected with Chloramines only since we purchase all of our water from NJAW Co. during this period.

Chloramination is a common treatment process used throughout the nation in which chlorine is mixed with a very small amount of ammonia. This transition is necessary for NJAW Co to comply with new, more stringent US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards related to disinfection byproducts. Disinfection byproducts are potentially harmful contaminants that form when disinfectants, such as chlorine, react with naturally-occurring organic materials. SWC is permitted to continue to use chlorine for disinfection since our source comes from wells, which have little or no organic material. Transitioning to chloramines will allow NJAW Co to lower the concentration of disinfection byproducts in the water purchased by SWC and allow NJAW Co to meet the EPA’s new standards. 

Although the use of chloramines is proven to be safe, kidney dialysis patients and fish owners must take special care when using chloraminated water. As with chlorine, chloramines must be removed from water that is used in the kidney dialysis process and from water that is used in fish tanks or ponds. Attached is a fact sheet regarding the use of Chloramines.

Just some facts about Chloramine...

Why do we need to add a disinfectant to drinking water? As a safeguard to prevent waterborne illnesses, the State of New Jersey requires public water systems to maintain a disinfection residual throughout the water distribution system.

What are chloramines & why make the change? Chloramines are a combination of chlorine and a small amount of ammonia, and have been used for many years by water systems across the country. Chloramines last longer in the distribution system which results in the water having lower levels of Disinfection By-Products (DBPs), such as Trihalomethanes and Halocetic Acids. DBPs are formed when chlorine mixes with naturally occurring organics predominantly found in surface water sources such as reservoirs and rivers. The EPA regulates the levels of DBPs that systems can have in their water and EPA has lowered the maximum level allowed over the years to protect the health of the public. Chloramines will only be in the bulk water purchased from NJAW Co since their supply consists of surface water from reservoirs. SWC will continue to use chlorine for disinfection since our source comes from wells which have little or no organic material. The result will be a mix of chlorine and chloraminated water throughout the months of May through September when our treatment plants are in operation. The water will be fully chloraminated during the winter months when our water plants are shut down for the winter season and we purchase all our water from NJAW Co.

Chlorine and chloramine -- what's the difference between these disinfectants?

      Chlorine is most commonly used because it's quick, effective, safe, and is the least expensive method of water disinfection.

      Chlorine is quicker acting, but is used up faster as it reacts with contaminants in the water. It will also form chemical compounds called trihalomethanes and Halocetic Acids when it mixes with organic compounds predominantly found in surface water sources.

      Chloramines are safe and effective, but react more slowly than chlorine. However, they stay active longer, and they do not form Disinfection By-Products when mixing with organics in water.

Are chloramines safe? Yes. Chloramines have been used safely in the United States and Canada for many years. The NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) accepts chloramines as an approved disinfectant.

Are there special considerations for chloramines? Yes. More specifically, kidney dialysis equipment and aquariums.

Kidney Dialysis ~ In the dialysis process, water comes in contact with the blood across a permeable membrane and must be pretreated to remove chlorine and ammonia. Medical centers that perform dialysis are responsible for purifying the water that enters the dialysis machines. Persons with home dialysis machines should check with their physician or equipment supplier. Please contact your doctor and dialysis equipment provider for more information.

Aquariums ~ Chlorine and ammonia are toxic to all fish since water enters through the gill structure and goes directly in the bloodstream. Chloramines stay in the water for up to several weeks, so a dechlorinating agent must be added to remove it. This includes the water for both freshwater and saltwater aquariums. Pet stores should have a product that will quickly neutralize both the chlorine and ammonia molecules.

Will reverse osmosis remove chloramines? No. Salts can be caught by the permeable membranes, but chloramines pass through easily.

Can persons with kidney ailments, diabetes, or on low sodium diets drink chloraminated water? Yes. People with serious medical conditions should contact their doctor. It can be used for any other purpose except for dialysis treatment.

Do home water softeners remove chloramines? Only if the softeners have a Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filter.

Will chloramines harm plants? No. It is safe to water plants of any type, including ornamentals, vegetables, fruit and nut trees.

Are chloramines new? No. Many countries and cities in the U.S. have used chloramines for decades. Chloramine has been approved by the EPA and NJDEP for use as a municipal drinking water disinfectant for decades. It is a water quality improvement as it reduces disinfection byproducts (DBP) levels.

Will chloramination affect routine household water uses? No. Chloramination will not affect routine water uses such as food preparation, household laundering and dishwashing, water plants, etc. Chloramines is not reported to have any effect on plants of any type, and will usually be removed by the high chlorine demand in soil.

When will the conversion to chloramines occur? NJAW Co. has informed us that their project should be completed before the end of May 2012.

Call 732-264-7300 with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 02/01/11