Advisory lifted; causes are being investigated
District officials warned residents in Northwest Washington to stay away from their water for hours Tuesday amid fears of chlorine contamination.
Water and Sewer Authority officials discovered a chlorine spike about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, officials said in a community alert. The water warning affected residents who live between Western Avenue to the west and Connecticut Avenue to the east, as well as from River Road to the north to Nebraska Avenue to the south. Workers discovered the spike while cleaning the Fort Reno reservoir.
The warning was lifted about 2:30 p.m. and authorities said they are investigating the cause of the spike. The agency has a long history of problems. As recently as 2004, it was accused by federal environmental officials of breaking laws regarding the reporting of lead levels in the water. The agency has also been blasted for not being able to get water into the city’s hydrants.
The chlorine crisis set some on edge.
“I’m very troubled by it,” Councilwoman Mary Cheh, D-Ward 3, said. “I want a full explanation. And I want to know it’s not going to happen again.”
Peggy Fleming, who lives near Fort Reno, said she called WASA and notified Cheh over the weekend after her goldfish and Siamese fighting fish died. Fleming said she changed the tank’s water on Saturday.
“The next morning, they were floating,” she said. “I think it was the canary in the mine.”
Chlorine can cause skin problems and, if vaporized — as in a hot shower — can cause lung damage.
Agency spokesman Alan Heymann said water officials deserve credit for getting the word out and managing the problem quickly.
“We have a system that has 1,300 miles of water pipes and 1,800 sewer pipes,” he said. “There are going to be problems, things are going to break that we’re going to have to fix. It’s just the nature of the business.”
Chlorine levels reached about 5 milligrams per liter during the crisis, Heymann said. The usual level is around 3.5 milligrams per liter. The Environmental Protection Agency requires the system to keep the ratio below 4 milligrams per liter.
Water officials began adding chlorine to the water supply in February to help kill bacteria.
Anyone who feels they’ve been overexposed to chlorine is urged to call a physician. For questions, call WASA’s command center at 202-612-3400.
