The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality said an algal bloom is the reasons for reports about tap water smelling and having an unusual taste. | Stock Photo
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality said an algal bloom is the reasons for reports about tap water smelling and having an unusual taste. | Stock Photo
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has said that an algal bloom caused a recent series of reports by residents that their tap water smelled and tasted off, and that workers are responding with powdered carbon filtration.
"It tastes like standing water — like old standing water," resident Anndrea Hubbard told WCNC for its May 14 report.
Some have compared the odor and taste of the water to pond water, while others have said they detected hints of mildew, WCNC reported.
County tests detected nothing dangerous in the water, and a county spokesperson said the water is safe to drink despite the odor and taste, WCNC reported.
Hubbard said she was wary of drinking the water, given a recent E. coli contamination of the county’s water system, WCNC reported.
Algae blooms have been a frequent cause of odd tastes and odors in water around the state in the past, WCNC reported. While the result is unpleasant, officials have said it’s not harmful to drink the water.
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