Bartlesville Assures Residents That Water Is Safe During Chlorine Disinfection Process

When most people turn on their water faucet, they expect to see a clear stream of water, but what people don't see are the pipes the water runs through before they take a sip.

"In water lines, there is a biofilm, so there is kind of an organic coating that forms on all water pipes," said Terry Lauritsen with Bartlesville Water Utilities.

That's why Bartlesville treated the city's water with chlorine, a strong disinfecting agent.

"This is being done as a preventative measure just to ensure the water quality throughout our system is maintained," Lauritsen said.

However, Bartlesville resident Luke Barrow said he doesn't fully trust the system.

"Coming from the city you just never know what may or may not be included chemicals or other things that might be in the water," said Barrow.

Barrow chooses to filter all of his water.

"I just like having the confidence of knowing what I'm drinking.”

But the city said the water could be used during the disinfection, "in all the situations the water will be safe throughout the process," said Lauritsen.

He said it was important for residents to know what was going on in case they noticed low water pressure or discoloration.

"It's safe, just use water as you normally would, and just keep in mind that it will be a little different for the next six weeks and then we'll return back to chloramines," said Lauritsen.

The city usually uses chloramines to make sure the water is clean, but using chlorine is stronger, so they can address the issue quicker.