Water may soon taste (& smell) a little weird in the Triangle. Here’s when & why
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Annual late‑Feb switch to chlorine-only causes temporary chlorine taste and odor.
- Hydrant flushing may cause discoloration; run taps ~15 minutes to clear.
- Water is safe for drinking, cooking and pets; filter or fridge to reduce taste.
There’s a chance your water is about to smell or taste a little different.
But it won’t last long.
Water customers in Raleigh, Durham and the rest of the Triangle could notice their water smells and tastes like chlorine soon. Like last year, the annual utilities disinfection process for many towns will begin in late February.
“Most of the year we use chloramines for disinfection, which is a combination of ammonia and chlorine, because of its neutral taste/odor and long-lasting performance,” Ed Buchan, Raleigh Water’s assistant director, told The News & Observer. “In order to ensure complete system disinfection, we make the switch to chlorine-only to essentially ‘reset’ the microbiology.”
Chlorine breaks down faster than chloramines, which is what causes the stronger taste and smell.
Is the water safe to drink?
Yes, the water is safe to drink, including for pets.
This process is recommended by the North Carolina Public Water Supply Section, Buchan said, and happens every year.
When will water taste bad?
The disinfectant process usually takes anywhere from four to six weeks, and most utilities finish the work by mid-April.
- Raleigh Water, which serves customers in Raleigh, Garner, Knightdale, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell and Zebulon, will begin the change on Thursday, Feb. 26, and last until Thursday, April 2.
- Durham will begin its disinfection treatment on Friday, Feb. 27, and continue until Thursday, April 2.
- Cary, which provides water to the town, Apex, Morrisville, Raleigh-Durham International Airport and parts of the Research Triangle Park, will start its disinfection process on Friday, Feb. 27, and will last until Monday, April 6.
- Orange Water and Sewer Authority, or OWASA, provides water to Chapel Hill and Carrboro. It will begin its disinfection process on Sunday, March 1, and last through the month. Hillsborough will also start its disinfectant process on March 1.
- Customers in the Clayton area, including those with the town of Clayton, Aqua and Carolina Water Service, will notice the change in late February and into March, according to Clayton.
- TriRiver Water, which provides water to Sanford and most of Chatham County, will start its disinfection process on Sunday, March 1, and will continue through Wednesday, April 1.
Can you fix the chlorine taste?
There are a couple of ways to help get rid of the funky taste or smell.
- You can store water in an open container in the fridge to let the chlorine dissipate over time. It will dissipate faster if the counter is placed on the counter, according to OWASA.
- You can add lemon slices to a pitcher of water. The ascorbic acid in lemons will neutralize the chlorine taste.
- You can filter the water with an activated carbon filter, like a pitcher filter or refrigerator filters, according to Cary.
- You can boil water for a minute to let the chlorine evaporate.
Durham water also recommends that dialysis patients and aquarium or pond owners should be “take special precautions” to let the chlorine dissipate before using it.
Is it safe to wash your clothes?
The water is safe to drink and to use for washing, cleaning and cooking. But you should check for water discoloration before washing your clothes.
Several of the utilities and towns will also flush fire hydrants as part of this process. That makes sure that chlorine is distributed throughout the entire system, and helps clean the pipes. But that cleaning can cause water to be discolored.
Raleigh Water recommends letting the water run for about 15 minutes to clear up any discoloration. If the water still has discoloration, you should contact Raleigh Water. They recommend not washing colors in the water until the discoloration has passed.
Portions of this story were previously published in The News & Observer.
This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Water may soon taste (& smell) a little weird in the Triangle. Here’s when & why."
