Water System Maintenance Program

This is a planned treatment to protect our customers against potentially harmful bacteria in the water supply. Switching to a free chlorine treatment periodically helps maintain water quality in chloramine disinfection programs. Pinellas County will perform the water system maintenance program once or twice a year, depending on water quality monitoring and sampling data.

The program includes all Pinellas County Utilities drinking water customers and the Clearwater, Pinellas Park and Safety Harbor drinking water systems.

This method of water quality maintenance serves as an alternative to flushing millions of gallons of drinking water. Enhanced water quality monitoring and flushing strategies continue to reduce flushing volumes.

Pinellas County Utilities water customers may temporarily experience a slight difference in the taste or smell of the water. This is normal and carries no negative health effects for the general population. The impact will be similar to when a water main is replaced or other routine maintenance on the water distribution system.

Yes. The water will continue to meet federal and state standards for safe drinking water. Health concerns associated with disinfection byproducts, total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids five (HAA5s), are related to long-term exposure and not short-term maintenance. You can find additional information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website and the World Health Organization website.

No. It is not necessary to boil the water.

Kidney dialysis machine users should not be impacted, but should contact their dialysis care provider for information about water testing and chlorine removal precautions. Like chloramine, chlorine is fatal if it enters the bloodstream during the hemodialysis process. Strict water purification standards are already followed by the kidney dialysis industry established by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation.

The temporary change to chlorine should not affect fish owners if the system is already in place to remove chloramine. You should contact your local pet supplier with any questions.

A written flushing plan is a regulatory requirement for water utilities. Pinellas County Utilities has always used flushing to keep water quality at its best. Flushing the water main removes sediment in the pipes and eliminates stagnant water found in dead-end pipes.

Customers should follow the manufacturer’s specifications for their water treatment device.

Customers can visit the Pinellas County Utilities website or call Pinellas County Utilities Customer Services at (727) 464-4000. Residents of Clearwater, Pinellas Park and Safety Harbor can contact their water service provider.