FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        February 28, 2002

CARY, NC – It’s that time of year again when the Town of Cary and others in the state blow out the proverbial cobwebs in their water systems, getting them cleaner than clean including disinfecting them from top to bottom.

Throughout the month of March, Town crews will make their way throughout Cary, opening many hydrants in town to flush the system of potentially harmful algae and bacteria that, over time, attach to the inside of water pipes, pumps, and other components of the water system. During the flushing, each hydrant will be opened for 10-15 minutes to allow 10,000-15,000 gallons of water out. The water will flow into streets and down storm drains for release back into area watersheds.

The flushing is being done in conjunction with Cary’s yearly disinfection process, which is required by state and federal regulations. During the disinfection, which begins on March 1^st, the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility will temporarily stop adding ammonia to its water treatment disinfection process.

Customers who use kidney dialysis machines should be aware that water might contain chlorine, ammonia, or a mixture of the two at the beginning and end of March. This month-long, annual process is required of municipal water systems and is being conducted in conduction with other towns and cities in the area. The water plant will resume adding ammonia to the water treatment process on Monday, April 1, 2002.

Customers are encouraged to check their water before washing white clothes. If the water appears discolored, try flushing all house faucets for a few minutes. Customers who have questions or who have water that fails to clear should call the Town of Cary Public Works & Utilities Department at (919) 469-4090.

The Town uses chlorine as a disinfectant in its water treatment process but began adding ammonia to the process in 1993 to help reduce the amount of trihalomethanes, a byproduct formed when water is disinfected with chlorine. Over time, bacteria in a system with ammonia will adapt to the point of being able to survive the treatment process. Therefore, the State of North Carolina requires this annual "cleansing" of all water systems that add ammonia.

The Cary/Apex plant provides treated water to Cary, Apex, Morrisville, the Raleigh-Durham Airport, and the Wake County portion of Research Triangle Park.

###