Chloramine

[Liz]

I wonder if you are all aware that Scottish Water has added this to our water supply?

Where I live there has been a really strong 'disinfectant' smell coming off our water supply and even the water from the filter which I have installed was quite bitter which is unusual.

I contacted the makers of my water filter and they said we probably had chloramine in our water now and it is more difficult to filter as it is more stable and to contact Scottish Water to see whether this was the case.

I contacted them and, at first, was told that our supply was being changed to chloramine but we would be notified of this beforehand.
However, I got a call today to say that chloramine is already in our water supply!

I felt I should bring this to people's attention as I believe it can be harmful to fish so those of you with aquariums should check to see whether your dechlorinator will remove chloramine as well.

[cuddlepop]

Our dog refuses to drink the tap water from a polished alloy dog dish but will eat her food from the other.She would much rather go outside and drink the rain water that we collect in various dishes.
Our water in Portree is disgusting and smells of chlorine frequently even filtering it makes know difference.Its as if the machine to regulate the chlorine has gone loopy.:eek:

[Rheghead]

Our dog refuses to drink the tap water from a polished alloy dog dish but will eat her food from the other.She would much rather go outside and drink the rain water that we collect in various dishes.

That is interesting, my dog does the same. I will put the different waters in identical bowls to see if there is a real preference.

[MadPict]

This was raised here some years ago - I visited Wick and while there offered to clean out the fish tank where I was staying. I went along to the pet shop that was on Henrietta St (IIRC) and was advised about this problem then.

So this additive to your water is not new. It has been in the system (and ergo, in your system) for some time....

EDIT:
In fact, here is the original thread about the water..

http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?t=1330

[cliffhbuber]

The laboratory odour of chlorine!

If the smell is more noticeable; chances are more chlorine is being added due to greater bacterial or small organism threats.

There are inexpensive filters that will remove the chlorine odour if not the chemical itself.
Such filters may be stand alone or add-to-tap one such as Brita. They do the job.

Having used water from a well for years, it has become increasingly distasteful to drink chlorinated water from many towns and cities. Some Water is so bad that the flavour of coffee is ruined, and the smell of chlorinated water is almost retching.The city folks, being used to this taste, don't blink an eye, but I'm sure that their upper lips are becoming quite stiff, if not nearing the pickling stage of 2 month old dills.

[cuddlepop]

It ask the question though,if our dogs wont drink it why should we[disgust]

[emszxr]

glad my water comes from a spring with no rubbish in it like that

[Geo]

The laboratory odour of chlorine!

If the smell is more noticeable; chances are more chlorine is being added due to greater bacterial or small organism threats.

There are inexpensive filters that will remove the chlorine odour if not the chemical itself.
Such filters may be stand alone or add-to-tap one such as Brita. They do the job.

It is chloramine which has been added. It is much more stable than chlorine and as such cannot be removed as easily.

[changilass]

Geo you seem to know a bit on this subject, could you tell me would a 5 stage ro unit get rid of it???

Thanks in advance for your reply

Changi


Just found this on a fishkeeping site:

Tapwater needs to be treated with a dechlorinator (water conditioner) before it's added to your tank. All should remove chlorine but not all can remove chloramine completely.
It's safest to use a dechlorinator capable of neutralising chlorine, chloramine and ammonia, before adding any water to the tank.
Don't rely on the old-fashioned method of aerating water, or leaving it to stand or age before adding it. Neither technique will get rid of chloramine, which is becoming much more common in UK tapwater.
Always wash filter media in old tank water and never under the tap.
When topping up, try to add water of roughly the same temperature to that in the tank.
If you have a marine tank, evaporational losses should only be topped up with freshwater (ideally RO), never saltwater.

[Liz]

I have an under the sink double filter which is great and am now getting a new cartridge from them which removes chloramine as well www.pozzani.co.uk (http://www.pozzani.co.uk%29)

I am seriously thinking of getting a 'whole house' filter from them as don't like the thought of bathing in all these chemicals either! Pozzani has a unit for about £100 but needs a plumber to install it.

I have found out that Chlorine evaporates more in warm weather (this will be why they have changed to Chloramine as it is more stable) so to compensate more is added and then when we get a cold spell the Chlorine is more noticeable!

[Liz]

I tried the website link for Pozzani I just gave and it doesn't work. Perhaps this is because I initially put brackets on each side.
So will try again! www.pozzani.co.uk

[changilass]

Liz it might be worth your while checking out RO units on ebay, they are capable of doing the whole house and not too expensive.

[Liz]

Liz it might be worth your while checking out RO units on ebay, they are capable of doing the whole house and not too expensive.

Thanks for that! I will go and check. I have to say thought that I have found both the products and service from Pozzani to be great.

[Liz]

This was raised here some years ago - I visited Wick and while there offered to clean out the fish tank where I was staying. I went along to the pet shop that was on Henrietta St (IIRC) and was advised about this problem then.

So this additive to your water is not new. It has been in the system (and ergo, in your system) for some time....

EDIT:
In fact, here is the original thread about the water..

http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?t=1330

I can't see any mention of Chloramine in this thread? Scottish Water said that we would be notified before Chloramine was added to our water supply but I don't remember being told? In fact I still wouldn't have known if it hadn't been for someone from Pozzani telling me about it.

[cuddlepop]

Will ask a Waterboard employee if Chloramine is in our water but I'm sure it is because its a derivitive of chlorine and is compulsory now.:eek:

[MadPict]

I found the thread to fix the date more than anything, but I remember the conversation I had with the pet shop as if it was yesterday. I would suspect that this chloramine has been in the water since 2004.

I would definately demand some info from Scottish Water...

[millavilla]

Hi,We have a large tank and since hearing from the henrietta petshop 2-3 yrs ago about the chloramine going into the water we went and got a fish blue colour change filter 12" and it cost £59 but lasts about 6 months before having to replace and no problem with my fish.Would recommend them for large tanks as not as expensive as having to buy lots of water conditioner.
delivery is fast.
www.ionicsystems.com (http://www.ionicsystems.com) but you cant order online

the suppliers number that i use is Evolution Aqua Limited , 01942 216554

[ywindythesecond]

I wonder if you are all aware that Scottish Water has added this to our water supply?

Where I live there has been a really strong 'disinfectant' smell coming off our water supply and even the water from the filter which I have installed was quite bitter which is unusual.

I contacted the makers of my water filter and they said we probably had chloramine in our water now and it is more difficult to filter as it is more stable and to contact Scottish Water to see whether this was the case.

I contacted them and, at first, was told that our supply was being changed to chloramine but we would be notified of this beforehand.
However, I got a call today to say that chloramine is already in our water supply!

I felt I should bring this to people's attention as I believe it can be harmful to fish so those of you with aquariums should check to see whether your dechlorinator will remove chloramine as well.

Chloramine was added to Caithness water about three years ago when the new waterworks at Hoy were commissioned. If your water comes from Loch Calder, it is Chloraminated. Information regarding the effects on fish in tanks was either circulated or published at the time because I learned about it and mentioned it to a neighbour with fish who already knew about it.
The effects on fish, dogs, cows, cats, or people are obviously not immediately critical as we have been happily drinking the stuff for three years.

I had an interest in how the process of the change from chlorine for chloramine for making our water safer to drink would go and how it would affect people at the time, but I didnt detect any difference at changeover.
Still alive.

[vodka-queen]

can it harm ya at all?? wot bout our skin?

[MadPict]

millavilla,
Thanks for confirming that this additive is not a recent thing. As I said, back in 2004 I was warned about it by the very same shop.

Liz, does that help?

[Liz]

millavilla,
Thanks for confirming that this additive is not a recent thing. As I said, back in 2004 I was warned about it by the very same shop.

Liz, does that help?

Yes thanks! Don't know how I (and my neighbours for that bit!) weren't aware that our water is now chloraminated?

I should have been using a different water filter all along.:(

Our water supply is being investigated just now as there is a strong 'bleach' smell coming from it and, as far as I am aware, Chloramine shouldn't be noticeable unlike Chlorine which can be more noticeable in cold weather.

Ah well. As ywindythesecond says 'Still Alive'!!!!:lol:

[Geo]

Geo you seem to know a bit on this subject, could you tell me would a 5 stage ro unit get rid of it???

Thanks in advance for your reply


I'm not 100% sure. A quick Google found a 5 stage RO unit made by Mako that does have a de-choramine unit in it but I don't know if all 5 stage RO filters do.

[changilass]

Cheers Geo, a quick check of the box mine came in says it does the job :lol: , will teach me to get off my backside and check in future lol

[Liz]

Do any of you know where you can get your water supply tested?

If you call the Scottish Water Helpline on 08456018855 they will advise you.:)

[Liz]

can it harm ya at all?? wot bout our skin?

I have read that if you are prone to eczema or psoriasis etc that it may aggravate these conditions.

I don't really like the thought of bathing in all these chemicals!!!:(

[cuddlepop]

My skin is constantly dry and itchy.It must be the daily showering in this chlorinated water.What an earth is it doing to our insides.[disgust]

[cliffhbuber]

Thanks, Geo, for the heads-up on that chlorine and chloramine are a bit different. Basically, chloramine is chlorine plus ammonia.
A warning below for those concerned of their pets drinking water with chloramine:

In systems where the level of chlorine is at the highest acceptable level but need still more disinfection, the utility will then add a chlorine/ammonia compound. Chloramine is represented as totally safe but with the Disclaimer to not give chloramine-treated water to your animals or use it in your fish tanks (it kills fish)!

[George Brims]

Basically, chloramine is chlorine plus ammonia.


Note quite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloramine

[cuddlepop]

Note quite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloramine
If you want to continue drinking your tap water without seperate filtration dont log onto this web site....scarey.:eek:

[cliffhbuber]

For a detailed commentary on research of chloramines and related
compounds ....with studies pertaining to affect on humans, go to:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/doc_sup-appui/chloramines/index_e.html

Interesting 'stuff'.

[rfr10]

Might get some information from http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/SWE_PGP_HOUSEHOLD/SWE_PGE_HOUSEHOLD/SWE_HH_WQ/FACT%206%20CHLORAMINATION%20EXPLAINED.PDF

:D

[millavilla]

[quote=rfr10;196217]Might get some information from http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/SWE_PGP_HOUSEHOLD/SWE_PGE_HOUSEHOLD/SWE_HH_WQ/FACT%206%20CHLORAMINATION%20EXPLAINED.PDF

Thats the leaflet the lady in Henrietta pet shop showed me

[vodka-queen]

my skin is really sore and all broken out me and a few people i know have the same problem and all the doctor keeps doing is giving us anti biotics. What can we do really? are we sure this is in our water?

[George Brims]

If you want to continue drinking your tap water without seperate filtration dont log onto this web site....scarey.:eek:

I don't see what's scary about it. It just tells you what Chloramine is and what it's used for.

Here's what's scary: percentage of bottled water samples found to contain dangerous levels of coliform bacteria in a random survey: 30. There's just no such thing as a free lunch. Either they put something in the water to kill bacteria, or they don't. If they do less people get cholera and other diarrhoeic diseases, but people will whimper about having this something put in their water.

[Rheghead]

Don't try to remove chloramine by adding sodium sulphite as said in wikipedia for fish tanks as you will deoxygenate the water. :eek: Just a wee safety tip.

[vodka-queen]

i would suggest investing in a filter for your bath or shower water and see if your skin heals up. Maybe it is only your soap too? Try a natural soap like Dr. Bronners or somthing similiar. Could even be the laundry soap... so, maybe non-bio?

After reading this thread, I'm quite disturbed about what is in the water they are pumping through our taps. I filter my drinking water but, not my bathing water.


iv tried all tht soaps and washing powder but i hav used the same for a while now hav to see about a filter for shower then i think how do i go about it? what hav u all done? what will it cost ?

[Rheghead]

According to Wikipedia, Chloramine doesn't have the disinfectant taste.

[Liz]

That's what I don't understand as the water in my area definitely smells and tastes of disinfectant and I read that Chloramine doesn't cause this so not sure what is happening.
It is not so bad today thankfully and I now have a cartridge in my water filter which also removes Chloramine so at least the drinking water is safe.

I am definitely thinking of investing in a whole house filter system though.