The City of Fullerton’s source water has been treated with disinfectants designed to keep it safe for human consumption. Fullerton’s water comes from two sources: Local groundwater (wells) and the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) from the Colorado River and/or State Water Project. While the City of Fullerton uses chlorine to disinfect well water, MWD uses chloramines. The source water a consumer may be receiving at any one time changes frequently due to daily and seasonal consumer demands and planned or unplanned maintenance to the water system.It is important all consumers are aware at times they could be receiving water from either source.

Because both the MWD and the City of Fullerton use disinfectants in their water, special care must be taken at all times to treat water that is intended to be used by kidney dialysis patients or in aquariums or fish ponds. While chloramines and chlorine are considered perfectly safe for humans, these disinfectants can be toxic to kidney dialysis patients and fish and must be removed from the water before being placed in aquariums or fish ponds.

Chlorine Removal

Basically, two methods can be used to remove chloramines/chlorine from water: 1) Add specific chemicals to neutralize chloramines/chlorine. 2) Use activated carbon filters to remove chloramines/chlorine. Pet supply dealers have more information and the necessary chemicals to remove chloramines/chlorine from your water prior to filling your aquariums and fish ponds.

Just as chloramines must be removed from water used by fish, hemodialysis patients must eliminate chloramines from the water used by their artificial kidneys, and they should always assume that chloramines may be present in the water. Chlorine is similarly toxic to these patients and always has been removed from water used in this kidney treatment.

Questions/Comments

Should you have any questions regarding the chlorination in your water, please contact the Water Quality Specialist for the City of Fullerton at (714) 738-2835.