2nd Adding ammonia at the source and letting it mix with chlorine. The new chemical that is

created is called “chloramine”. It is a by-product of chlorine: the result of chlorine and ammonia.

The use of chloramine is favored by the GVRD as the likely form of disinfectant for the Lower
Mainiand’s drinking water supply mostly because its use is cheaper than the building of re-

chlorination stations.

lam a concerned citizen AGAINST the use of Chloramine in our drinking water supply, for three

very good reasons:

First Reason: THE ENVIRONMENT

A major area of concern is the effect of chloramine on fish. The state of health of fish used to be
the measuring stick of whether or not water was safe to drink. During the testing of
chioramination in South Surrey, there were two fish kills resulting from water main brenks when
the chlorimated water poured into Fergus Creek, an unnamed creek, and Little Campbell River.
Aza result of the fish kills, charges were laid under the Fisheries Act by the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans. It is against the law to poison fish! A biophysical survey of Fergus Creek, in

August of last year has confirmed our worst fear: that the Creek has not yet recovered. This is

more than three years since the time of the spill.

Both chlorine and chloramine are toxic to fish and aquatic life in general, including frogs,
salamanders, crayfish and numerous aquatic insects. All these creatures populate dozens of small
streams and rivers between West Vancouver and Langley/Haney: in short, the Greater Vancouver

Regional District.

However, chloramine is more persistent than chlorine. So, chloramine will present a higher risk

because the exposure concentrations will be higher for chloramine than for chlorine. Impacts will
ITER | PAGE .

3