CPW Water does NOT contain NDMA
Recently, WSPA TV7 ran a report about the potential of chloramines and nitrosodimethylamines (NDMA) in drinking water. NDMA’s are disinfection byproducts (DBP’s) from the chloramination process that may be formed by reacting with organics in some source water. NDMA’s are part of the EPA unregulated contaminant monitoring required for larger systems such as Greenville Water System and Spartanburg Water. While Greenwood CPW is not currently required to monitor nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), we have taken the proactive step and sampled for this byproduct anyway. Sampling proved this byproduct to be non-detectable in our drinking water.
Due to the low organics in Greenwood CPW’s post filtration water, the NDMA levels are non-detectable based on sampling previously collected. Because CPW uses chlorine dioxide as a primary disinfectant that does not react with organics and form DBPs, most of the organics have been removed during coagulation prior to our chloramination process.
You may soon see marketing efforts that try to use the WSPA TV7 report as a tactic to persuade you to buy appliances for your home to further treat your drinking water. Please know that your drinking water is monitored around the clock, meets or exceeds all State and Federal standards and does not contain NDMA. If you have any questions or concern, please feel free to call us at 942-8117.
INDEX JOURNAL ARTICLE
CPW: No NDMA in local water (Officials say plant filtration process guards against such byproducts)
http://indexjournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=40&ArticleID=8431
11/27/2011 12:46:00 AM By CHRIS TRAINOR
There has been growing concern at some water treatment plants about N-Nitrosodimethylamine, more commonly known as NDMA.
However, Greenwood CPW officials have said NDMA is not a concern for CPW water customers, as there has been no indication or positive detection for NDMA in CPW water.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, NDMA is classified as an "emerging contaminant." It is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.
Formerly used in the production of rocket fuel, antioxidants and softeners for copolymers, NDMA is currently used only for research purposes.
NDMA can be an unintended byproduct of chlorination of water at treatment plants that use chloramines for disinfection.
CPW manager Steve Reeves was adamant CPW water does not contain NDMA. He said a recent regional TV report vaguely insinuated Greenwood CPW was among a number of other Upstate water providers that could be affected by NDMA because they use chloramines.
As NDMA is not a problem for CPW, Reeves also advised customers to be aware they are not in need of any expensive filtration systems that target NDMA.
"The (TV story) hinted (NDMA) is a problem for a majority of water treatment plants," Reeves said. "It is not a problem at ours, at least at the current time. We want people to understand that it's not. We are understanding that at least one or more local businesses may be trying to use that news broadcast to convince people of a hazard that is not there, in order to sell filtration equipment for homes that we don't believe is necessary. We would hate to see them make a purchase out of fear when there is nothing to fear there."