There’s no chloramine going into city drinking water just yet.
City voters narrowly, 3,402 to 3,178, rejected a bond issue for a new filtration system Tuesday. The $5.5 million project was one of two options for bringing the city into compliance with federal drinking water standards. With the bond having failed, Public Works Commissioner Evan Pilachowski is poised to implement the other option, a change of the disinfectant from chlorine to chloramine.
But not quite yet.
At issue is the level of haloacetic acids and other byproducts of the disinfection process in the water. The byproducts are created when chlorine reacts with organic matter in the source water.
The byproduct levels were roughly constant, but the EPA lowered the acceptable maximum several years ago, putting the city in violation and on the path that eventually led to Tuesday’s vote.
However, the last two quarterly tests showed the levels had dropped below the federal threshold.
A recount of Tuesday’s vote is a possibility.
Opposition to chloramine was motivated by claims about health problems supposedly linked to the chemical in other water systems using it.
Even if a petition for a second vote were circulated, it would not be binding.
A recount of Tuesday’s vote is also a possibility.
Costello said the 3.4 percent margin of the vote falls within the 5 percent margin that allows any city voter to request a recount. A request would need to be made to the city clerk with 10 days of the election, the city attorney said.
Source: http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20121108/NEWS01/711089891
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