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California | Environment & Forest Defense

Filtering San Francisco Water
by chloramnine
Saturday Mar 3rd, 2007 7:20 AM
chlorine / amonia
Until a year or two ago, when SF and other Municipal Water Supplies switched from Chlorine to Chloramine,

All you needed was a simple carbonsediment filter to take out the chlorine.

Or, you could just let the chlorine evaporate out of the pitcher over a day or two.

Now instead we have Chloramine which is a compound of chlorine and amonia.

How do we remove Chloramine?

Why are citizens not allowed to participate or even know about the chemicals in their water?

They just told us: don't put it in your fishtank, it kills fish, and have a good day.
§Chloramnine and Susan Leal
by Francisco Da Costa Saturday Mar 3rd, 2007 8:57 AM
Well, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) over 3 years ago announced about Chloramnine.

Most people who got the notices - did not think much of it and many lost thousands of dollars - especially, those that had one of a kind fish in their aquariums.

Recently, we had hundreds testify before the SFPUC - in this case human beings that are adversely impacted by Chloramnine. Susan Leal the SFPUC Manager refuses to believe that Chloramnine adversely affects human beings.

As far as I know it does. It is shame when some constituents be it a small percentage of the 2.4 million clients that get their water from Hetch Hetchy suffer adverse impacts. The SFPUC does not want to listen - and that is plain wrong.

At other hearings and meetings I have heard that Chloramnine is being used all over the world.
I have not seen proof that is does not adversely impact humans - in many other places there is NO process to fight the authorities. Here in America we can and we should.

Our water from Hetch Hetchy really does not need the added chemicals that recently adverse impact many.

Chloramnine fumes, especially when taking a shower in closed quarters with ventilation are very bad and recent studies show that it can adversely impact humans.

Let alone fish and other living species that cannot speak and can have no say in the matter.

The Hetch Hetchy waters are Sacred. At the source it is the world's best naturally filtered drinking water.

Then here come stupid humans, we steal the water from the First People. Disrespect the Sacredness, pollute it with other water down the stream, and then add the worst chemical Chloramnine and think it is all good. Wrong!

I have heard experts speak against Chloramnine - but Susan Leal insists there is nothing wrong with this chemical - that, I personally know has adversely impacted many human beings.

The time has come to challenge Susan Leal and the SFPUC that has adversely impacted thousands. Again and again SFPUC speaks in generalities but we have concrete proof that Chloramnine is bad for everyone - humans as well as fish and other living species.

Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy