Treatment Processes · Disinfection Practice
What Are Chloramines?
Chloramines form when ammonia is added to chlorinated water in the right amount. Many systems use them because they last longer in long pipe systems and form fewer disinfection byproducts than free chlorine.
The tradeoffs: chloramine is a weaker disinfectant, so it is used to protect water in the pipes, not to kill germs at the plant. Extra ammonia can feed nitrifying bacteria in distribution, which Water Distribution Fundamentals covers. Chloramine must also be removed for kidney dialysis and fish tanks, so customers need to be told.
The ratio of chlorine to ammonia matters. If chlorine runs too high for the ammonia present, the chloramine starts breaking down, the residual drops fast, and odors can show up. This is called breakpoint. If ammonia runs too high, free ammonia leaves the plant and feeds nitrification.
So check more than total chlorine. Watch free ammonia and the monitoring points in your chloramine plan, and change feed only under that plan.
Key point: Chloramine lasts longer and makes fewer byproducts, but it is weaker and needs the chlorine-to-ammonia balance held.
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Water Treatment Part 2: Treatment Processes in Practice
This page comes from the course. It covers coagulation and jar tests, flocculation and sedimentation, filters and backwash, membranes, disinfection, water chemistry and plant residuals, one step at a time, with short knowledge checks and a certificate of completion.
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