Water Changes On Weekends?

[REG THE SLEDGE]

Is this true what i have heard, that it is better to do water changes during the week rather than the weekend , as the local water companies put more chlorine in the water at weekends , TRUE or FALSE? .I know that we have to treat the water but i was just wondering Thanks in advance

 

[Truck]

FALSE ive never heard of this

 

[rdd1952]

Never heard that either but if you use a dehlorinator, it really doesn't matter how high the level is provided you use enough. I never measure it but rather just squirt it in the tank so I'm sure I usually triple dose at the least.

 

[Truck]

Never heard that either but if you use a dehlorinator, it really doesn't matter how high the level is provided you use enough. I never measure it but rather just squirt it in the tank so I'm sure I usually triple dose at the least.

me too

 

[Tolak]

FALSE ive never heard of this

Just because you never heard of it doesn't mean it is false.

Much of what municipal water suppliers do is determined by local conditions. One of these is demand, and the fluctuations involved with it.

When is the most water used? Generally during the week, from around 5am until 9am. This is when most people are getting ready for work, taking showers & such. Water that moves through a supply system faster needs less disinfectants, they lose their effectiveness as they sit, and intrusion into water mains is more likely when the water is moving slower.

This means that the water is moving slower during the week from 10pm until about 5am. Starting in the evening they will add more disinfectants. towards morning, and during the day they will add less.

On weekends less people are waking up early for work, factories & such are often closed or on a skeleton shift, so less water is used. The water moves through the system even slower, so even more disinfectants are used.

You also have to take into account that the folks working at a municipal water supplier on the weekends are usually lower on the totem pole. This means they are often less experienced. Their main concern is providing a product safe for human consumption, and will dose a little heavier for the sake of safety.

So yes, in general a municipal water supplier will add more disinfectants on the weekend. The heaviest would be late on a Saturday night in the winter.

Why in the winter? Nobody is watering their lawns or gardens, less water flow through the system. My best water comes out of the tap during the weekday in the heat of summer when there has been a dry spell. You can hardly smell any chlorine in the tap water in the afternoon. Late on a Saturday night during the winter, especially if it has been stormy during the day means my tap water will smell like a swimming pool.

 

[7755matt]

You also have to take into account that the folks working at a municipal water supplier on the weekends are usually lower on the totem pole. This means they are often less experienced. Their main concern is providing a product safe for human consumption, and will dose a little heavier for the sake of safety.

So there are people there with big buckets fo chemicals who just randomly throw in an extra bucket because they're a bit thick? I would actually imagine that it is all automated and that the workers are actually rotated on a shift system so they work week days and weekends.

y best water comes out of the tap during the weekday in the heat of summer........... Late on a Saturday night during the winter, especially if it has been stormy during the day means my tap water will smell like a swimming pool.

My reaction would be that the link here is temperature, it may be that its easier fo the cholrine to remain dissolved during the summer and less easy in the winter due to temperature variations. I've seen mention here that dechlorinator may not be as effective when its really cold, but I dont think the reason was the water company adding more chlorine?

This is just my idea, I will see if my wife knows any better when she wakes up, she does after all work for a water supplier

 

[Tolak]

Excellent! Someone in the industry!

I'm in Chicago Matt, where about are you? You mentioned another variable, the employment structure of the municipality.

Here it is very patronage oriented, on the weekends you may well have some alderman's nephew, who can't really get a job anywhere else, on the weekend graveyard shift. In a way it does have to do with being a bit thick here, though no buckets, a little computer adjustment. It also has to do with weather if you are dealing with a surface source, or often seasons with a well, as wells can involve agricultural runoff, and seasonal precipitation variations.

I've been dealing with my water supply for many years, and in that time have talked various situations over with many people involved with my water supply. I could go on about industrial waste, a river that was made to run backwards, usually, and so on, but it would be a long one. While some of these things may apply to others water supplier, some may not.

I have also talked with other aquarists around the Midwest, going to out of state auctions is also about networking, water is one of the topics often covered. If I'm buying a fish bred in Indiana or Michigan I want to know what their water is about, which often leads to a discussion about water supplies.

Best thing to do is contact someone knowledgeable with your water supplier. This is something I, as well as local aquarists keep close tabs on.

It will be good to hear your wife's input on this, another source of reference in the industry.

 

[REG THE SLEDGE]

I have actually spoke to someone that works with a water company and he says that they add chemicals mostly on late thursdays , ready for the weekends . so it might be true in some cases. And truckasaurus , how can you say that something is False when you have never heard of it ,, are you trying to make me look like a twat???. ha ha ha ha ha

 

[bitteraspects]

never heard of this either, but it does seem to make sense

 

[meerkat]

That is funny that you say that abuot your water smelling like chlorine on saturday night in the winter tolak. I have noticed this also during the winter where I live but also especially the weekends it smells so chlorinated. I don't know anything about any of this but have noticed my water smelling like chlorine recently (winter). This is interesting!