Preventative Maintenance

The City of Sunrise maintains the highest quality standards to provide clean, safe drinking water to our Utilities Department customers, which include residents and businesses in the cities of Sunrise, Weston, Southwest Ranches and parts of Davie.

From April 22nd through May 20th, 2024, the Utilities Department is switching from monochloramine to free chlorine disinfection in its drinking water treatment system to provide additional protection against bacteria. This temporary treatment of the water system is a safe and common practice for water suppliers that use Chloramine water treatment method and is recommended by the Florida Department of Health. The procedure does not cause any adverse health effects, but you may notice a slight change in the taste, odor or color of the water during this time. 

Customers who observe any discolored water are encouraged to help us clear it through the system by running their faucets. Please contact our Utilities Department dispatcher at (954) 888-6087, ext. 3, with specific concerns.

Special Considerations

Kidney dialysis centers, nephrologists and hospitals will be notified in order for them to make any adjustments necessary in the various processes which they operate. Any questions regarding kidney dialysis should be directed to the user's doctor or dialysis specialist. Some aquatic and marine animal species are sensitive to free chlorine; persons maintaining aquariums with any sensitive species may wish to contact their pet supply stores regarding dechlorination.

What is Free Chlorination?

Free chlorination is a temporary process that distributes free chlorine in place of combined chlorine (chloramine) throughout the water distribution system as part of routine distribution system maintenance.  Free chlorination is a common practice used by water producers using the chloramine treatment method. It is typically performed once or twice per year over a two-to-four-week time period to remove biofilms from inside the distribution pipes.  Sunrise water treatment operators chlorinate drinking water using liquid sodium hypochlorite solution (bleach).

Chlorine has helped provide safe drinking water in the United States for more than 100 years.  Chlorine is by far the most commonly used drinking water disinfectant in all regions of the world. Today, about 98% of U.S. water treatment systems use some type of chlorine disinfection process to help provide safe drinking water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires treated tap water to contain a detectable level of chlorine to protect against germs as it flows from the treatment plant to consumers’ taps.  

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is chlorine in drinking water safe? The small amount of chlorine added to disinfect drinking water in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations is safe for consumption. According to EPA, allowable chlorine levels in drinking water (up to 4 parts per million) pose “no known or expected health risk."
• How long will the free chlorination process last? This is a temporary process that lasts approximately three weeks.
• Is this the first time the City of Sunrise has used free chlorination? No.
• Do other cities perform free chlorination? Yes. This a common industry practice. There are many utilities in Broward County and throughout the US that use chloramines as a distribution system disinfectant which convert to free chlorine on a periodic basis.
• Does free chlorination change or affect water quality? No, the drinking water still meets all State and Federal water quality standards.
• Will I notice a change in my water? Some people may notice a change in the taste or odor during this time, but adverse health effects are not expected.
• Why does my water taste/smell different? Your water may taste or smell different because the City of Sunrise is temporarily changing its disinfection process. There will be a change from chloramines (a combination of chlorine and ammonia) to chlorine only. Water systems using chloramines periodically change to chlorine as part of a maintenance program within the water distribution system. During this temporary change to chlorine, you may notice a slight difference in the taste or smell of your tap water.
• What can I do to improve the water taste/smell? We suggest storing water in an open pitcher and placing it in your refrigerator for a few hours. The chlorine will naturally dissipate from the water, and will become less noticeable.

Additional Information

Information about drinking water and health is available on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Web site (http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/index.cfm), and through the Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 1-800-426-4791. 

For details regarding the City of Sunrise's treatment system, please contact the Utilities Department at (954) 888-6000 or visit www.sunrisefl.gov/waterquality.