There’s some encouraging news about the drinking water in the region. A spokesman for Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) provided an update Wednesday on the bad taste and smell some residents began experiencing last week. Spokesman Luis Maya said the agency has received fewer complaints from customers this week and conditions likely are improving.
Water Problem Surfaced Last Week
WSSC became aware of the problem when some customers served by the Potomac Water Filtration plant noticed the tap water had an earthy taste, and an unusual odor. Workers began treating the water with carbon which has the same effect as using a Brita filter.
Maya said the treatment appears to be working, but cautioned it will not eliminate the problem completely. While WSSC normally does not add carbon in its water treatment, Maya said it is perfectly safe.
The problem is a naturally occurring substance called Geosmin that is appearing in the water. Geosmin is produced by bacteria in soil and algae found in the surface water.
Drought Conditions Contributing
While WSSC has seen this problem before, Maya said it is usually not this bad. He said the drought conditions have contributed to the issue. The Potomac River level is a lot lower right now compared to what it is normally this time of year.
The heavy downpours the region will experience over the next few days could help, but Maya said it is hard to tell if the rain will make the problem completely go away.
He said there is no estimated timeline for the bad water taste and odor to resolve but WSSC expects it will happen soon. Despite the earthy taste and odor, WSSC says the water is perfectly safe to drink and use. Right now, there is no need to boil the water before using it they say.
