By Patrick Anderson
Staff Writer
—
When she began the biweekly fish owner's routine — draining the water, rinsing the miniature neon stones and refilling the bowls — Allison Mondello of Essex Avenue didn't think much of Gloucester's decision to change the chemicals disinfecting its tap water.
But the next morning, the two guppies in one bowl were dead and Blue, a Siamese fighting fish in another, was mortally ill. Her 16-year-old daughter thought she had done something to them.
Only when Mondello mentioned the deaths at work the next day did she suspect that chloramines, the compound recommended by the state and federal government to solve the bacteria problems in the city's old drinking water system, may be the cause.
"I had heard that (chloramines) were being added, but I didn't know it was anything to be worried about," Mondello said Monday. "When I came in to work and mentioned it to my boss she told me it might be chloramines. I told my daughter, 'maybe I didn't kill them.'"
For the most part, the city's swiftly implemented, high-profile switch from chlorine disinfection to chloramines has gone well.
The city's public health department reports only one alleged case of skin irritation, with no direct proof that it was caused by the chemicals, as the only possible negative effect on humans.
Despite months of blazing sun and sweltering weather, there have been no water shutdowns or any sign of a repeat of the 20-day boil order that hit the city last year. And while its early, fears of widespread respiratory illness or a failure in pipe systems have not materialized.
So far the negative effects of chloramines have been visited only on Gloucester's smallest residents. And Mondello's fish are hardly alone.
"We have been getting calls from people saying 'my fish are dying," said Susan Giglio, the owner of Animal Krackers pet store on Main Street. "I think a lot of it is due to the change in the system."
Giglio estimated around a dozen calls since the switch to chloramines July 8.
On Ferry Street, Gilbert Gossom lost 11 goldfish in his 100-gallon backyard pond "within 10 minutes" of adding chloramine-treated water.
"It wasn't so much the loss of the fish that bothered me, it's the chemicals in the water and what other damage they could cause," Gossom said.
Chlorine differences
That chloramines are fatal for fish or other animals, such as amphibians, that absorb water directly into their bloodstream, has long been known. In fact, even the old disinfectant — chlorine — kills fish in high enough concentrations.
The difference is that, unlike chlorine, which will dissipate from tap water when allowed to sit exposed to air for a few hours, chloramines do not dissipate and stay in the water in high concentrations. That's why the city switched to them, because it could not keep enough chlorine in the system to fight off bacteria.
Before the switch, the city distributed pamphlets advising all fish owners to talk to their pet store or veterinarian about chloramines.
Water treatments
Fortunately, there are ways to make chloramine-treated water safe for pets.
Most pet stores sell water "conditioners," liquid additives designed to protect fish from toxins, including chlorine and chloramines.
Giglio said Animal Krackers sells water conditioner for just under $4 for an amount that will treat 60 gallons and recommended people even in non-chloramine communities, to use them.
There are also special charcoal filters that take chloramines out of fish tank water.
Max Schenk of the city health department said he thought the city was well-informed about chloramines and said there had not been any problems with kidney dialysis treatments, which can be affected by the switch.
Chloramines are not new and are used widely throughout the country and in Massachusetts, where the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority has been using them for decades.
Council hearing tonight
In Gloucester, like Vermont and parts of California, a group of residents concerned about the lack of testing of and potential unknown side effects of the chemicals had pushed the city to resist the switch.
Three weeks after the change occurred, those residents, led by local nurse Pat Murphy, will have a chance to present their case for finding an alternative to chloramines to the City Council tonight at 7 in the Kyrouz Auditorium at City Hall.
With the city having already converted the Babson water treatment plant to chloramines and currently doing the same at the West Gloucester plant, it is unclear if changing back is even possible.
Patrick Anderson can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3455, or panderson@gloucestertimes.com.
