From staff reports CHICKASHA – The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality recommends that the City of Chickasha perform a cleaning process in its municipal water transmission and distribution system every year. This cleaning ensures the system remains free of any biofilm growth.
Accordingly, USW, the city’s water treatment plant contract operator, will use a “free-burn” process to perform the cleaning from Sept. 23 through Oct. 21.
In the free-burn process, treated water is disinfected with free chlorine only, rather than chloramines, for a minimum of two weeks and up to 30 days. During the free-burn period, the chlorine residual will be elevated but will remain within ODEQ requirements, said Shae Mortimer, the city’s marketing and civic engagement manager.
“This temporary changeover will likely cause some discoloration or cloudiness in the water, minor pressure fluctuations, small air pockets, and a strong chlorine odor and taste,” she said.
Crews will be flushing valves and fire hydrants, “which should remove most of the color and odor, but some will reach customer lines during this process,” Mortimer said. “Running water through your faucet may help minimize the effects.”
Customers who use tap water for kidney dialysis at home should contact their doctor to determine if any changes are necessary in their residual disinfectant neutralization procedures.
The increased chlorine concentration may cause customers to experience eye or skin irritations and other effects, “like what is experienced when swimming in swimming pools with a high dose of chlorine,” Mortimer said. Customers utilizing the water for aquariums should monitor chlorine residuals, she advised This is a temporary, precautionary measure and a process that is performed annually to ensure we continually provide safe drinking water,” Mortimer said.
Customers who experience discoloration should use the “Submit a Request” button at chickasha.org so crews can be dispatched to flush lines in your area.