Chloramines in Kittery water are not acceptable - Seacoastonline.com

On April 16, a meeting was held with over 200 residents of Kittery and a six member panel representing the Kittery Water District (KWD). The meeting was a public forum in regard to the decision of the KWD to implement the use of chloramines in the Kittery water supply. The intent from the KWD was to explain to the public that the combination of chlorine and ammonia was safe to use. A recent article also appeared in the Portsmouth Herald on April 25, noting that the York Water District considers monochloramines to be safe and effective. It is important to understand that the use of chloramines may be effective, but it is not necessarily safe.

Mixing chlorine and ammonia produces a chemical called monochloramine. This is what the KWD has decided to use in the Kittery municipal water system to purify the water. The EPA deems it to be safe to drink, but there are very few studies about the health problems that can be caused by adding ammonia to chlorine. Chloramine is more stable than chlorine and does not disperse from the water as chlorine does. When you let chlorinated water sit for 30 minutes to an hour, it will disperse from the standing water. Chloramines do not. This is an extremely important fact to remember. It is also important to note that the disinfection byproducts of chloramines (iodoacids) are more toxic than chlorine. So when you go to alternative solutions to purify water, you may be opening a Pandora's box of new disinfection byproducts. A member of the KWD panel stated that five years from now they may have to change back because of byproducts they weren�t yet aware of. These unregulated byproducts may be much more toxic, by orders of magnitude, than the regulated ones we are trying to avoid, requiring careful monitoring.

There are several health risks related to the use of chloramine. When you shower, chloramine discharges into the air. Chloraminated vapor can enter the circulatory system through the lungs. Some people who experience the ill effects of asthma, upper respiratory issues, and cystic fibrosis, can breathe this in, causing irritation to the lungs, throat, and eyes. Issues can also include gastrointestinal irritation, skin inflammation, dermatitis, and psoriasis. People with liver or kidney problems and those with inherited urea cycle issues are at increased risk for ammonia toxicity from the utilization of chloraminated water. Kidney dialysis patients can't utilize chloraminated water in their dialysis machines since it will cause hemolytic anemia. The potential danger in the use of chloramines can include children under a half year of age, the elderly, those on or who have had chemotherapy, individuals with HIV or AIDS, organ transplant patients, and others with a debilitated immune system. Long term effects to people are just not known.

Chloramine is also toxic to fish and amphibians. Water run-off from hydrants, breaks, and wastewater are therefore detrimental to the environment. It was surprising that environmentalists were not up in arms during the April 16 meeting. Perhaps they were unaware of the KWD�s intent. During the panel discussion, there was also one member of the public who was a landscaper and stated there were fewer amphibians in the Wells and York area than in the Kittery area. With such an observation it is evident that chloramine, if leaked into the environment, must somehow be removed before it can reach further into various bodies of water.

The KWD meant well to hold an informational meeting with the public. However, when one person requested that the residents wanted to have further discussions and include other "experts", the request appeared to be ignored. There were no medical doctors, chemists, or environmentalists to discuss the negative side of chloramine on the panel. Kittery residents have requested that the Kittery Water District wait to implement the use of chloramines until there can be further discussions. Are the residents of Kittery being denied representation? The residents are the ones paying for the water. They should be allowed to bring in their own experts for continued discussions before any action is taken by the KWD, although it appeared the KWD Board has already made its decision.

During the April 16 meeting, one member of the panel noted several times that they were involved with risk management assessments on usage. When one person from the audience asked if the KWD would change its mind about the implementation of chloramines, the answer was: �Not sure�... �We could change back to chlorine if we needed to.� As for water compatibility with other towns, Kittery would not need to use other water supplies for the long term. The KWD could adjust purification if needed, although one board member stated they were �not a fan of switching back and forth�. Evidently, the KWD board members would rather take care of the risk management assessment portion of usage while the residents would have to simply take care of the risk to their health. It makes a person wonder how many of the people on the panel actually live in Kittery and how many of them are using the town water supply. The premise of use appears to be cost and so-called compatibility issues with other towns' water supplies. Shouldn�t it be more important to be concerned about a person�s health and damage to the environment?

The current plan of switching to chloramines therefore is not acceptable to the residents of Kittery. Mistakes are often made in making decisions that affect many people throughout their lives. This is one of those times. The KWD should take heed on the long-term effects of what they intend to do. Remember asbestos? Irreversible damage to health and lawsuits are still forthcoming from use because the results of ingestion or inhalation were not known. The Kittery Water District Board members should listen to their customers and follow their own Mission Statement: �...Water is a public trust, to be guarded by all levels of government acting as an equal partner with the public; and that the best advocates for water are local communities and citizens�.

Russell H. Plante, of Kittery, Maine, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Maine with a Minor in Electrical Engineering and post graduate courses in Business Administration. He has held positions as a systems engineer with Automation Industries, Inc., a project engineer in Kalwall Corp's Solar Division, and as a Department of Defense Branch Head in Control Engineering, Welding Engineering, and Quality Control Engineering Analysis.

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