Palm Beach tap water may have slight chlorine taste starting Friday. Here's why

Starting Friday, Palm Beach residents may notice a slight chlorine taste and smell coming from their tap water, as West Palm Beach — which supplies the town's drinking water — conducts its annual chlorine disinfection flush of its water treatment plant and drinking water system.

The town said in a release Tuesday that the flush involves switching from the current chloramine disinfection to free-chlorine disinfection, and is expected to run from Friday to July 26.

While the release states that the flush "will not cause adverse health effects," it recommends that users of home dialysis machines contact their health professional on how to remove residual chlorine from tap water.

The town also recommends that owners of tropical fish, and managers of stores with fish and/or shellfish holding tanks to contact a professional on how to remove the residual chlorine, as it can damage the gills of aquatic animals and lead to death, according to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization.

To avoid the taste and smell of chlorine while drinking a cup of water, the release recommends filling up a container and leaving it in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the chlorine to evaporate.

The flush also will affect South Palm Beach, which also receives water from the city.

For more information, call the West Palm Beach Department of Public Utilities at 561-822-2210.

Diego Diaz Lasa is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at dlasa@pbdailynews.com.