Sarasota County Public Utilities to Conduct Free Chlorine Conversion
Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC
SARASOTA COUNTY – From April 22 through May 6, Sarasota County Public Utilities will temporarily modify its drinking (potable) water disinfection process as part of routine maintenance. The water will remain safe to drink.
This process has many benefits, including improving the overall quality of the drinking water by removing any sediments and other materials that may accumulate in pipes and decreasing potential for corrosion in pipes. The last time Sarasota County performed this process was in April 2023.
During this period, the water will be disinfected with free chlorine rather than chlorine combined with ammonia (chloramines). This routine process, known as a free chlorine conversion, helps maintain water quality in distribution systems, as recommended by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Other participating utilities in this free chlorine conversion include Charlotte County Utilities, DeSoto County Utilities, Englewood Water District and City of North Port Utilities.
What Customers Should Know:
- Water will remain safe to drink throughout the process. Boiling water is not necessary.
- Customers may notice a temporary change in the taste and smell of the water.
- Discolored water may stain laundry. Homeowners should flush any cloudy or discolored water that may enter the plumbing by running a faucet for several minutes or until the water runs clear.
Kidney dialysis patients who use a proportioning machine to prepare dialysate at home should contact their physician or equipment supplier for proper filtering adjustments.
Aquarium owners should monitor the chlorine levels and take necessary precautions recommended by a professional aquarist to ensure proper pretreatment of the water before adding or changing the water in the tank to avoid any problems associated with chlorine.
Local utilities will flush the water distribution system to help the free chlorine circulate efficiently.
For more information about the water-free chlorine conversion, please visit scgov.net.