Chisinau tap water becomes chlorine free

12.04.2012 15:52
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Water in Chisinau municipality will no longer be treated with chlorine for disinfection with the inauguration of a new water treatment station today, Info-Prim Neo reports. The new facility will use sodium hypochlorite instead, which, according to the city's water utility Apa-Canal Chisinau (ACC), is more effective in killing germs, including microbacteria that cause tuberculosis and hepatitis. Studies showed that the incidence of these diseases in the towns that replaced the liquid chlorine with sodium hypochlorite for water disinfection dropped by 30-50%. The facility was built thanks to the support offered by the French company Seureca with funds provided by the EU's Neighborhood Investment Facility. ACC director Constantin Becciev has revealed at the inauguration ceremony that while the cost of this type of treatment is slightly greater no rate changes will ensue. “What's more, people will feel the difference of the water's taste, because the chlorine smell will go away and the quality will improve”. After cutting the ribbon to the facility together with the ACC director and having a glass of water, Chisinau Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca confirmed it tasted better. “This achievement is not only the municipality's and Apa-Canal's, but also of all the residents of the city who paid their bills on time. We'd also like to extend our gratitude to all our European partners for their support, hoping that this step makes us closer to European standards”, stated the Mayor. Tamara Ciobanu, the head of ACC's laboratory, highlighted the advantages of the new disinfection agent over chlorine, the latter having the potential to cause cancer. In Moldova this water treatment method was piloted in 2009 in the town of Stefan Voda, with an important finding being that it is not harmful to the environment. The method is successfully used in such metropolises as Washington, Paris and Moscow, as well in the food and pharmaceutical industries.