PITTSBURGH -- While some Pittsburgh-area water suppliers prepare to add new chemicals to the drinking water, others have already made the change.

Water companies maintain the chemicals are safe, but critics believe otherwise.

As part of a Team 4 investigation, Channel 4 Action News reporter Jim Parsons found the chemicals being added are those used to kill bacteria.

Several suppliers are switching or have switched from chlorine to chloramine, a disinfectant already used in one-third of the country's public water supplies.

But concern exists over the use of chloramine and its possible reaction to old pipes in the region that, in some cases, contain lead.

While both chlorine and chloramine have risks, the debate over how to disinfect bacteria continues.

When chlorine interacts with organic matter in pipes, cancer-causing byproducts are sometimes formed.

The Environmental Protection Agency requires water suppliers to reduce those byproducts, a main reason why providers are switching to chloramine -- a mixture of chlorine and ammonia.

But new EPA-funded studies have shown that using Chloramine can also result in byproducts that cause cancer and reproductive problems.

While federal regulators said its okay to use, the scientific community still has questions.

"Our big problem with EPA rushing ahead and approving all the switches to chloramine is not knowing enough about what exactly are the byproducts from using chloramine -- what are the health effects? That to us is a problem," said Myron Arnowitt of Clean Water Action.

But chloramine also leaches lead and pulls it out of pipes.

Attorney Susan Pickford sued the state Department of Environmental Protection in an attempt to keep Pennsylvania American Water from introducing chloramine into the public water supply.

Pickford lost the case.

"This stuff literally eats rubber which is a problem for the infrastructure and another reason why I don't want to drink it and don't want my kids to drink it," said Pickford.

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, health officer Dr. Josephine Rakow said children should not drink chloraminated water.

"If chloramine -- and we know that it leaches lead -- why would we permit our children to drink the water?" said Rakow.

Health officials admit the introduction of chloramine into the public water supply earlier this decade did contribute to high lead levels in drinking water in Washington, D.C., and Greenville, North Carolina.

Pennsylvania American Water spokesman Gary Lobaugh said his company has plans to replace chlorine with chloramine in Allegheny and Washington counties. Pennsylvania American is already using chloramine in parts of Butler and Lawrence counties.

"When you're dealing with older systems that have lead pipes, or brass pipes, you're going to see a little bit of this breakdown. We're going to introduce a corrosion inhibitor to hopefully prevent breakdown of the pipes in some of the older portions of our system," said Lobaugh.

When asked what the company would do to make sure that happens, Lobaugh replied, "Well nothing is for sure. We're doing the best of our ability to prevent this from happening."

Former Environmental Protection Agency Chief Scientist, Dr. Bernard Goldstein, now a professor at University of Pittsburgh, said water suppliers switching to chloramine have a responsibility.

"If you know you're going to switch to chloramine, and you know you have lead pipes, then I think you ought to do some testing, ought to make sure there's at least some sampling testing in the tap water that allows you to be sure there isn't lead," said Goldstein.

Lobaugh said Pennsylvania American Water will test for lead in its system beyond what is required by federal regulations, but the company will not test at the tap.

"No we won't be testing for lead on the home level," said Lobaugh.

After this interview an interview with Parsons, Pennsylvania American's spokesman changed his position and told Team 4 in an e-mail that the company will test for lead in a sampling of homes because the state Department of Environmental Protection requires it. Despite the concerns about lead, the DEP prefers chloramine.

"Chloramine is better than chlorine because it lasts longer and is more stable in the system," said Cathleen Curran Meyers of the Pennsylvania DEP.

When asked by parson what could be said to those living in the region to calm there concerns, Meyers said, "There can be a long-term benefit in reduced disinfection by-products that cause cancer -- that's a good thing."

Six water suppliers in the Pittsburgh-area have already been approved to use chloramine.

Pennsylvania American Water

Already using chloramine in Butler and Lawrence counties.

DEP expects them to soon apply for permission to use chloramine in Allegheny and Washington counties.

West View Water Authority

Has applied to use chloramine but has not yet been approved by DEP.

Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority

Has been using chloramine for a few years, mostly in the summer.

Oakmont Borough Water Authority

Chloramine being used, but only seasonally.

New Kensington Municipal Authority

Currently using chloramine.

Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County

Currently using chloramine

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, the largest water supplier in the area, said it has no plans to switch to chloramine.

Water suppliers are required to give customers at least three months notice when switching to chloramine.

Oakmont Borough Water Authority and Wilkinsburg-Penn said customers concerned about the lead issue can call their companies and they will take a sample of tap water and test it for lead free of charge.

The other companies said they will not offer that service.

Residents can also hire their own laboratory to test for lead in their home. Fees can run as low as $15 per sample.

Chloramine is also harmful to fish, but so is chlorine.

However chlorine will dissipate after a day, making it safe to use in an aquarium.

Chloramine doesn’t and has to be chemically treated before it can be used for fish aquariums and even kidney dialysis machines.

Related Links:

DEP Accredited Labs

Information about Chloramine in Drinking Water (EPA)

DEP Answers Questions About Chloramines and Drinking Water in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Department of Health: Chloramine In Drinking Water Fact Sheets

Lead In Drinking Water (EPA)

Lead In Drinking Water: Basic Information (EPA)

Lead And Copper Rule (EPA)

Drinking Water In Schools And Child Care Facilities