Annual Treatment Change to Johnston County West Water System begins March 1st

February 19, 2024

For Immediate Release:

Smithfield, NC –Beginning on March 1, 2024, the Johnston County Water Treatment Plant will temporarily stop feeding ammonia with chlorine for disinfection and start feeding chlorine only for all Johnston County water customers on the Johnston West water distribution system. The Johnston West distribution system supplies water for many County residents and businesses, which includes Clayton, Wilson Mills, Four Oaks and some customers serviced by various private utilities, including the Flowers Plantation area. If you have any concerns or need additional information, please contact Johnston County Public Utilities at 919-989-5075.

For Johnston County retail customers, the distribution system is designated on each monthly billing statement. The Johnston West distribution system is shown as the blue area on the map below. State and federal regulations require that all public water systems feed chlorine only for at least three weeks each year to make sure that no bacteria that may have adapted to the ammonia in the water are present.

Johnston West customers using kidney dialysis machines should be aware that the water will contain more chlorine for about six weeks and will return to a chlorine and ammonia mixture on or about April 11, 2024. The chlorine-only water can be toxic to tropical fish. Most customers will not notice a difference in their water, but some may detect a chlorine odor and might observe a slight color change.

The County will also conduct flushing of the Johnston West water distribution system during this period to speed the removal of chloramines from the system. The flushing process may result in some minor and temporary discoloration of water that does not affect water quality. If any related issues cannot be cleared by flushing the lines inside your home, please call 919-989-5075.