Water chemistry question

[Steve]

Now that I am diligently checking and rechecking and triple checking (did I mention I was checking?) the water in my 265g now that it is up, I've come across something interesting and not sure if this is right or not. I've been getting a reading of .25 for Ammonia, so I have been doing PWC about every 2 days. Today I checked and found .25 Ammonia so did a 50% WC and rechecked. Guess what, Ammonia still .25

So I checked the water right out of the tap. Directly from the tap I am getting .25 Ammonia. After researching online I found where it is said that any Ammonia reading out of the tap means that the city is using Chloramine in the water. Yet on my city website it says they are NOT using chloramine. If they were not using it then why would I be getting an ammonia reading out of the tap? Are they using it and just not listing it as being used??

 

[Ron]

Are you able to contact anyone at your water department who would be qualified to talk about it?

[Steve]

No idea who I would contact but I will do some searching and see if there is a Royal Oak W.D contact email maybe.

[Matt1628]

Steve,

We both get our water from SOCWA, I'm in Clawson.  SOCWA buys the water from Detroit.  Both Detroit and SOCWA treat the water with 100% Chlorine gas and SOCWA monitors chlorine residuals daily to keep the chlorine content within the allowable limits.  My tap tests 0.00ppm for ammonia.  If organic material with a Nitrogen content gets into the water system, it will react with chlorine and form chloramines and ammonia.  The organic material could get into the system thru a cross connection, watermain break, work on the water system, opening a fire hydrant, etc.

[Steve]

I just had my sister who lives in Royal Oak as well, but about 5 miles from me check hers. (I'm at 13 Mile& Main, shes at 10 Mile and Campbell) and she also has .25PPM right from the tap. Does it make sense that she would have the exact same reading 5 miles away? And yet you in Clawson are just a few miles away from me and have 0.

[Ron]

What are you using to test the water? What level of accuracy does it have?

[Matt1628]

Not sure where the water comes into Royal Oak but in Clawson its feed off of Crooks at Massoit, 14 Mile, & Elmwood.  While Clawson is connected to SOCWA watermains and Royal Oak is also connected to SOCWA, there is no inter city connections between Clawson and Royal Oak.  The water system is laid out to be a looped system so that the water is constantly moving and does not get stagnant.  I know Royal Oak was doing a lot of watermain work earlier this year and its possible not everything got "flushed out" of the mains. Plus with this time of year, its watermain break season.  Being that the system is looped it does make sense she has the same results as you. If you call the water department in Royal Oak, the guy you want to talk to I believe is Jeff Pierce, he's superintendent of water, or Greg Rassel, he's director of recreation & public service and on the board of trustees for SOCWA.  If you call SOCWA, you want to talk to Bob Jakovich, he's the operations manager.  I don't have any contact info for them other then Bob's email, which is on SOCWA's website.  [email protected]

[Steve]

Thanks Matt I will get in touch with him. Ron I use API Master test kits with tubes and drops/bottles.