COLUMBIA, S.C. — If you've noticed an earthy smell or taste to your tap water in Columbia recently, it's still completely safe to drink, officials say.
The City of Columbia Water and Sewer issued an alert to customers that get their water from the Columbia Canal Water Treatment plant addressing the odd taste and odor in their water. Columbia Water explains that the changes in taste and smell come from naturally occurring algae in Lake Murray that grow in warmer temperatures. This is why it often happens every summer. Although it can be a nuisance, the company says it is completely harmless and is still good for human consumption.
Columbia Water says it is working with plant operators to try to fix the issue as much as possible.
If you're curious what is exactly in the algae that's causing these changes to your water, it comes from two common compounds called geosmin and 2-methylisoborneal (MIB). The human senses of taste and smell are extremely sensitive to them and can sometimes detect them in water at low concentrations. It is extremely difficult to remove these compounds from water using normal water treatment methods, so operators are using activated carbon to reduce their levels.
To learn more about geosmin and MIB, you can visit Columbia Water's page by clicking here.