Tulsa Utility Authority Wants To Set The Record Straight On Chloramine

The Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority is pushing back against what it calls 'misinformation' about Tulsa's water supply.

The three candidates for Tulsa's mayor usually debate jobs and budgets and leadership, but they also disagree on the safety of Tulsa's water supply.

The issue is chloramine, a chemical treatment Tulsa started using in the water last July. There are some people who believe it's hazardous, though its safety has been widely established in cities all over the country.

But this is what candidate Bill Christiansen says about it: "I am against the chloramine in the water, because in my opinion, it is unproven and there are health problems associated with it that certain people have."

5/8/2013 Related Story: Tulsa Mayoral Candidates Meet For First Debate

Former city councilor Christiansen's statements prompted an unusual rebuttal from the board that oversees the water service.

The Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority, in an open letter to the mayoral candidates said:

"It has come to our attention that inaccurate information has been conveyed during information and debate sessions related to the mayoral election. In general, the misinformation has been related to the city’s conversion to the use of chloramine as a secondary disinfectant to meet EPA’s stricter Stage 2 Disinfection Byproducts Rule, which applies to all locations within the city’s distribution system.

"I want to emphasize that Tulsa now meets the EPA standard as a result of our conversion to chloramine for disinfection, and this conversion has enhanced our water’s quality and safety."

Read TMUA's Entire Letter To The Mayoral Candidates

See TMUA's Timeline For The Conversion To Chloramine

The TMUA says it invited all the candidates to a briefing about the water, and while former Mayor Kathy Taylor and current Mayor Dewey Bartlett showed up, Christiansen did not.

Bartlett questioned Christiansen's claim.

"Oklahoma City uses it, Sand Springs uses it, many cities around our state use it and there has not been documented problems with it," he said.

But both Bartlett and Taylor said the critics deserve to be heard.

"I applaud those citizens, who, on their own time, have done the research and engaged others about something they consider a health risk to their families," Taylor said.

The EPA says chloramine is a safe additive to water, especially compared to the alternative. It helps disinfect water that would otherwise be at risk for contamination, with documented and real problems as a result.