City of San Bruno - Chloramine Info

Water customers in San Bruno are fortunate -- we can take safe, clean water for granted. But the water quality you receive at your tap is possible only through a lot of hard work and processes you never need to think about. Now, one of those processes has changed, and your water supplier wants you to know about it.

All water supplies contain contaminants, whether mineral or bacterial. In order to remove potentially damaging bacterial contaminants from our water supply, the City of San Bruno and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (from which San Bruno buys about half our water) disinfect our water supplies. Disinfection of drinking water was one of the most important public health advances of the 20th century, nearly eliminating outbreaks of waterborne diseases in the United States.

Constant scientific advances, however, have revealed that the method of disinfection currently employed in San Bruno also produces byproducts. To keep these byproducts at safe levels, we have changed our disinfection process to use chloramine.

Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia that is considered a better disinfectant. Many Bay Area communities are successfully using chloramine disinfection.

Water customers in San Bruno began receiving chloraminated water February 2, 2004. With the conversion to chloramine, our customers will continue to receive the highest quality water, which meets or exceeds more stringent current and anticipated regulatory standards.

What is Chloramine?
Chloraminated water is safe for people and animals to drink, and for all other general uses. However, as with chlorine, chloramine will need to be removed for fish and amphibian use, and for people or businesses requiring highly treated water. Precautions must still be taken to remove or neutralize chloramine in the kidney dialysis process, in the preparation of water for fish tanks and ponds, and in businesses using water in treatment processes and beverage manufacturing.

Unlike chlorine, chloramine cannot be removed from water by boiling, or by letting an open container of water stand to dissipate chlorine gas. It can only be neutralized, or removed with specific treatment methods.

Is chloraminated water safe?
Chloraminated water is safe for people and animals to: drink, cook with, bathe in, water the garden, and 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 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.

How will chloramine affect household plumbing, pipes, and water heaters?
After the conversion, rubber parts on some household plumbing and water heaters may degrade faster than previously experienced. When replacing rubber plumbing parts, ask for chloramine-resistant parts, which are readily available.

This website will answer questions about the conversion, as well as address specific water users that may need to make changes due to the conversion. If you have other questions, please call the City’s chloramine conversion hotline at 616-7068.

Click here for further information for non-San Bruno residents about chloramine in your city's water supply.

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