Can I do the technical part myself?
Certainly! There is very little involved and the equipment is now inexpensive. If your company has an I.T. person (computer guy) he/she will likely know how to set up the connection. Or, just give us a call and we'll walk you through it. We can explain the ISP part as well. Here's a link to the Palo Alto Internet Exchange list of providers, if you're curious:

http://www.switchanddata.com/Solutions/PAIX/Customers/PaloAlto/

Do I need to take any precautions or do anything different when using chloraminated water?
Only three special groups need to take precautions with chloraminated water: owners of fish, reptiles and amphibians, dialysis facilities, and businesses using or requiring highly treated water.

Does chloramine change the taste of the water?
Most consumers will not notice any change but some consumers from other utilities report chloramine has improved the taste and odor of their drinking water.

Does Palo Alto add fluoride to its drinking water?
Yes. In 1954, the residents of Palo Alto changed the City Charter to require fluoridation of the city water supply. As a result, fluoride has been added to Palo Alto's drinking water since 1956, as required by the Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC 12.24.010).

Does state law require that fluoride be added to drinking water?
Yes. In California, Assembly Bill (AB) 733, signed into law by Governor Pete Wilson in 1995, authorized the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) to require large water systems to fluoridate their public water supply. The California Fluoridation Regulations adopted by the CDHS were added to the California Code of Regulations (CCR - Title 22, Sections 64433 and 64434) in April 1998. These regulations apply to large systems with at least 10,000 service connections, such as Palo Alto. They require that large systems with existing fluoridation practices continue fluoridating under more stringent regulatory requirements (i.e., concentration, control, monitoring, reporting and notification requirements).

Does the SFPUC plan to fluoridate the water on a system-wide basis?
The SFPUC is constructing a new fluoridation facility in Sunol that is expected to be operational in 2005 and is planning to fluoridate the water on a system wide basis. Visit the SFPUC website for more information on its current plans to fluoridate all its water serving the 29 Bay Area Water Users Association (BAWUA) member agencies (i.e., SFPUC wholesale customers located in Alameda, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties including Palo Alto) after construction of that facility.

How can I remove chloramine from my water?
Chloramine cannot be removed by boiling water, adding salt, or letting water stand still. Treatment devices to reduce chloramine levels are available. These devices should be independently tested and specifically certified to reduce chloramine. Although home filtration systems will reduce the level of chloramine from water, it will not remove it completely.

How can sensitive users remove chloramine from water?
The California Department of Health Services (DHS) oversees the upgrades of dialysis facilities and equipment. Generally, dialysis providers can use ascorbic acid or a granular-activated carbon filtration system designed to remove chloramine as provided. Fish and amphibian owners can use water treatment products or specified carbon filters before adding water to their tank or pond. Businesses will need to upgrade their current filtration and treatment system. Businesses may wish to contact their equipment supplier or a water treatment professional to review current operations.

How many utilities currently use chloraminated water?
Most Bay Area utilities and many communities nationwide have already switched to chloramine for drinking water disinfection. Local water providers include: Alameda County Water District, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Marin Municipal Water District, and Santa Clara Valley Water District. Some water providers throughout the United States have used chloramine for over 80 years.

How much fluoride is added to Palo Alto's water?
In Palo Alto, the PAMC 12.24.010 requires that fluoride is added so that a system wide average of 1.0 parts per million (PPM) of fluoride is maintained in the drinking water.

How was the chloramine conversion project funded?
This project was funded through a combination of 1998 Measure B bond funds and revenue funds.

How will chloramine affect household plumbing, pipes, and water heaters?
Rubber parts on some household plumbing and water heaters may degrade slightly faster than previously experienced. When replacing rubber plumbing parts, ask for chloramine-resistant parts, which are readily available. Plumbing and hardware supply stores and plumbers will be able to provide further information.

I heard that in Washington D.C. lead from water pipes was leaching into the water supply and chloramine may be responsible; what is Palo Alto's response?
In communities like Palo Alto where all lead services and pipes were removed years ago there continues to be extremely low levels of lead in the water. Although we are not required to test for lead this year since our levels have remained low for the last decade, we and the SFPUC are being cautious and testing for lead in September 2004 as a result of the situation in Washington D.C. We expect results to be normal. Additionally, the California Department of Health Services is also closely monitoring lead levels where water is chloraminated in the Bay Area. Alameda has used chloraminated water for years without an increase in lead levels. It's important to remember, though, that a home or business' plumbing system can affect lead levels in the water within that home or business.

If chlorine and ammonia are toxic to mix at home, why is it safe to drink chlorine and ammonia in the form of chloramine?
Household chemical cleaners such as chlorine bleach and ammonia are sold as highly concentrated solutions; the hazardous mixture of these chemicals is due to their high concentrations. In comparison, the concentrations of chlorine and ammonia added to drinking water for disinfection are very low, so low that concentrations are expressed in "parts per million" or ppm. After the conversion to chloramine, average chlorine concentrations in water will be about 2 PPM; ammonia concentrations will be even lower at 0.5 PPM. As an analogy, one PPM represents about 5 tablespoons in a 20,000-gallon swimming pool.

Is chloraminated water safe for plants and animals that do not live in water, like my pet dog or cat?
Chloraminated water is as safe as chlorinated water for plants and animals that do not live in water. Chloramine must be removed from the water before provided to fish, reptiles, shellfish, and amphibians that take water directly into their bloodstream.

Is chloraminated water safe?
Chloraminated water is safe for people and animals to drink, cook with, bathe in, water the garden, and use for all other general uses. However, as with chlorine, precautions must be taken to remove or neutralize chloramine during the kidney dialysis process, in the preparation of water for reptiles and amphibians, fish tanks and ponds, and for businesses requiring highly processed water.

Is it safe to wash open wounds with chloraminated water?
Yes. Chloraminated water is completely safe to use on cuts and wounds.

Is there a way to remove fluoride from my drinking water at my home?
Yes. Reverse Osmosis filtration systems are capable of removing fluoride from drinking water. Although these filtration systems are very expensive and impractical to install within a utility's water distribution system, there are smaller units available in hardware and plumbing stores from $200 and up which can be installed under kitchen sinks.

What are the maximum levels of fluoride in drinking water?
The amount of fluoride in drinking water is limited under both federal and state law.

• The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has set a primary maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 4 parts per million (PPM).
• The California Department of Health Services (CDHS) has specified the fluoride levels it has determined to be optimal in the California Code of Regulations Title 22 Section 64433.2.
• For Palo Alto, the CDHS has determined (based on Palo Alto's annual average temperature range of 63.9o F to 70.6 o F) that the fluoride values should be between 0.80 PPM and 1.40 PPM

What is chloramine?
Chloramine is a disinfectant used in drinking water to remove bacteria and viruses. It consists of chlorine and ammonia.

What types of businesses are affected?
Businesses using highly processed water may be affected. Businesses such as laboratories, microchip manufacturers, biotech companies, soft drink bottlers, photography labs, or restaurants or seafood suppliers with fish tanks may need to make adjustments to their processes. Businesses should contact a water treatment professional or an equipment supplier to review their treatment process.

When did the conversion occur?
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) changed the regional water system's drinking water disinfectant from chlorine to chloramine February 2, 2004.

Where can I learn about fluoridation requirements in California?
Contact the California Department of Health Services.
California Department of Health Services
601 North 7th Street, MS 253
PO Box 942732, MS 253
Sacramento, California 94234-7320
PH (916) 324-7757
FAX (916) 445-4365
WEBSITE: http://www.dhs.cahwnet.gov/
EMAIL: oralhealth@dhs.ca.gov 

Links to key information from the California Department of Health Services and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

• California Consumers' Guide to Community Water Fluoridation: A Questions and Answer Guide
  
• California Department of Health Services: Information about fluoridation and information about oral health
  
• Average Fluoride Levels of Public Water Systems implementing water fluoridation in California
  
• United States Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards

Where may I get more information?
Additional information about the chloramine conversion is available on the SFPUC's website at better.sfwater.org and through the City of Palo Alto Chloramine Hotline at (650) 329-2640

Which customers were/are affected by the conversion?
San Francisco residential and commercial customers and 29 water agencies and utilities in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Alameda counties that receive water from the SFPUC will be affected by the conversion.

Why did the SFPUC convert from chlorine to chloramine?
The SFPUC made this change in the regional Hetch Hetchy system for a number of reasons.

• Chloramine is a better choice as a final disinfectant than chlorine alone because chloramine produces lower levels of disinfectant by-products.
• The conversion has enabled the City of Palo Alto Utilities and 29 other Bay Area water utilities to comply with more stringent regulatory standards (present and anticipated).
• Chloramine is more stable than chlorine and lasts longer in the distribution system. This provides increased protection from bacterial and viral contamination.

Why is chloramine harmful for dialysis patients?
Like chlorine, chloramine can harm kidney dialysis patients during the dialysis process if it is not removed from water before it passes into the bloodstream. The California Department of Health Services inspects and certifies dialysis facilities in the SFPUC service area to assure they are properly prepared for the conversion. For further information, contact your dialysis provider or the Trans Pacific Renal Network (415) 472-8590 or online at www.network17.org Like everyone else, dialysis patients can drink chloraminated water because the digestive process neutralizes chloramine.

Why is chloramine harmful for fish and amphibians?
Fish and some amphibians and reptiles pass water through their gills directly into the bloodstream. Like chlorine, chloraminated water can do harm if passed directly into the bloodstream. Chloramine can be removed from water with inexpensive water treatment products (drops or tablets) or specified carbon filters. These products are readily available at most pet supply stores. The following websites are resources for fish and amphibian-related information:
www.sfaquarium.org
www.sfbakc.org

Will pool owners need to treat chloraminated water differently?
As with chlorinated water, pool owners will need to maintain the same chlorine residual as before to prevent algae and bacterial growth. Pool supply stores can provide pool owners with more information.