City: Abilene water safe to drink despite unusual taste, odor

ABILENE, Texas -
Residents from across Abilene have been calling the city regarding the unusual taste or odor of drinking water, the city said in a news release this week.

However, the city said, the water is safe to drink.

While the Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t enforce water quality standards “for taste or odor causing compounds, these constituents in higher levels can affect the water’s taste and odor,” the news release said.

“Taste and odor causing compounds do not pose a health risk to the public. At the current levels, these constituents may make the water less aesthetically pleasing,” the release said.

Here is the city of Abilene news release in its entirety:

Response to citizen concerns with unusual taste and odor of water in Abilene

ABILENE, Texas - The City of Abilene Water Department has received calls from its customers regarding an unusual taste or odor of the drinking water. These calls have been from customers scattered throughout Abilene, and is most likely those customers receiving water from the Northeast Water Treatment Plant and could affect certain wholesale customers that receive treated water from the City of Abilene Public Water Supply.

Laboratory analysis indicates a higher than normal level of taste or odor in the drinking water. The elevated levels of taste or odor are due to natural processes occurring in the Hubbard Creek and/or Fort Phantom Hill Reservoirs, the source of the raw water being treated by the Northeast Water Treatment Plant and subsequently provided to these affected customers. Many utilities across the state are having similar problems attributable in part to the affect of low lake levels as a result of the ongoing drought.

While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not enforce water quality standards for taste or odor causing compounds, these constituents in higher levels can affect the water’s taste and odor. Taste and odor causing compounds do not pose a health risk to the public. At the current levels, these constituents may make the water less aesthetically pleasing.

Although your drinking water is safe to consume, we want the water to taste good and be odorless as you would expect from the City of Abilene. We also assure our water customers that all water treated by the Abilene Water Department receives complete treatment in accordance with state and federal regulations and meets the Primary Drinking Water Standards, as established by the EPA.

City personnel and consultants are working diligently to attempt to resolve the problem. Water Department staff is using various pumping methods, treatment processes and additional treatment chemicals to address the issue.

Should you notice a bad taste or odor in your drinking water please try placing a pitcher of tap water in the refrigerator to minimize the taste and odor before drinking. For additional information on the safety of your drinking water please contact the Abilene Environmental Laboratory at 325-676-6041.

http://m.ktxs.com/news/city-abilene-...-odor/30016894


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