As part of the Romsey Water Filtration Plant upgrade, we're changing the way water is treated at Romsey. From the week commencing 9 November, customers may notice a chlorine taste or smell in their drinking water for up to three weeks.
Your water will stay safe to drink and within the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
This change is an important step towards completing the upgrade, which is due to be completed next year and will increase treatment capacity for the growing community.
During this time, we’ll also need to flush the water mains, which can stir up natural sediments and cause discoloured water. If this happens, run an outdoor tap at the front of your property for a few minutes until the water clears, then do the same at the back of your property. If the water still doesn’t clear, please call our faults team on 13 44 99 for advice.
Learn more about this treatment change
Please see the FAQs section below to learn more.
We’ll also be out in your community at the following times – come along to speak to one of our water quality experts about the treatment change.
Currently, we use chloramination to disinfect Romsey’s drinking water. In November, we’ll start using chlorination. Chlorination is a safe treatment method used widely across the state.
Both treatment processes use chlorine to safely disinfect drinking water. The main difference is that chloramination uses both chlorine and ammonia, while chlorination only uses chlorine.
We use different water treatment methods based on local conditions and the supply system. This change is an important step towards completing the new Romsey Water Filtration Plant (WFP) which will come into service next year.
You may notice a chlorine taste or smell due to a temporary increase in chlorine levels as we make the treatment change. It will resolve within three weeks as the new treatment takes effect.
Most customers in Romsey will notice a temporary change in their water’s taste or smell. A small area near Lancefield is already supplied with chlorinated water and may not notice any change.
During the treatment change, we’ll also need to flush the water mains, which can stir up natural sediments and cause discoloured water. If this happens, run an outdoor tap at the front of your property for a few minutes until the water clears, then do the same at the back of your property. If the water still doesn’t clear, please call our faults team on 13 44 99 for advice.
Yes. Chlorine levels will stay within Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. We regularly test our drinking water and we’ll continue testing during the treatment change.
Heat can affect chlorine so you may notice the smell more when using warm water. This may last around three weeks and will resolve as the new treatment takes effect.
Yes. Fill a jug with water and put it in the fridge. The chlorine will dissipate over a few hours.
No. Romsey WFP and Romsey RWP are separate sites with different purposes. The WFP treats and supplies drinking water. The RWP treats wastewater and makes recycled water.
