The Prince William County Service Authority (PWCSA) is running their Spring chlorine flushing program starting on March 27.
During this flushing program, “customers may notice a slight chlorine taste and smell in their tap water through early summer,” stated a release.
More on the flushing program, from a release:
The taste and smell difference comes from the usage of free chlorine, which is a more aggressive disinfectant than the chloramines used year-round by Fairfax Water. This temporary change in the water treatment process is important because it denies bacteria the ability to form resistances to the usual disinfection process.
The process of making the conversion to free chlorine involves forcefully drawing the chlorinated water through fire hydrants for several weeks. Aside from the conversion, the flushing allows sediments/minerals that have collected in the water mains to be washed out.
For FAQ about the program, please click here.
