The City of Akron Water Bureau is sending out notifications to about 6,600 of the city’s 85,000 customers, telling them that water in a couple of areas tested positive for a normal unwanted byproduct of the water disinfection process, called HAA5 or Haloacetic acids, that if ingested over a long period of time in large amounts, could cause cancer.

The city did not use any hazardous chemicals in the treatment process, but HAA5, which naturally formed after the treatment, could potentially be a health hazard, as the city explains in a release.

The affected areas are near Swan Lake Road in Copley Township, and Ascot Industrial Park near West Bath Road in Akron.

But, they stress the water is safe to drink, it does not have to be boiled, it is the first time they’ve been out of compliance with EPA regulations since 2015, and they are are in the process of changing water filtration and treatment methods so they can get back into compliance by the next time they are required to test the water, in October.

Water Bureau officials explain that recent extremely high temperatures in the city’s water supply from Lake Rockwell, caused increased algae blooms and biological activity. Then, that combined with heavy rains, put more biological material in the water that required chemical treatment. 

As a result, the water required additional treatment, and that additional treatment caused the byproduct; HAA5 or Haloacetic acids, to form.

Now, though, they say they are making changes including:

• Adjusting treatment processes, including oxidation and filtration
• Reducing organic materials content through chemical oxidation, filtration, and aluminum sulfate addition can reduce the potential for HAA5 formation.
• Purchasing additional activated carbon to help remove organics before disinfection
• Supplementing current carbon use can also reduce organics and the necessary chlorine dose to bring HAA5 levels back into standard range.
• Implementing enhanced lake management strategies
• Managing and addressing algal blooms, nutrient contributions, and zebra mussels given increasing summer lake temperatures.
• Working closely with Ohio EPA, engineering experts, and peer utilities.

For more details follow this link to a release on the city of Akron’s website.

In addition, Ray Horner talked to Akron Mayor Shamas Malik about it this morning. Listen now:

Update/Correction:

This story has been updated to clarify that the potentially hazardous substance in the water was naturally ocurring from the application of normal disinfection chemicals to an overabundance of algae and other biological materials, and though the city used more disinfection chemicals than they usually do; they were not hazardous.