‘Unpleasant’ taste and smell show up in Sierra Nevada community’s tap water

An area of the Sierra Nevada foothills is experiencing an “unpleasant” taste and odor in their drinking water, authorities said. 

Read more Caissie homers, doubles and singles to lead Marlins to 4-3 win over Giants

The drinking water in Amador County has an “earthy odor” but is safe to drink, the Amador Water Agency said in a Facebook post. The unusual smell and taste is coming from the algae bloom in the Ione Reservoir, which is the source of drinking water for the city of Ione and surrounding areas. 

The water agency, which serves approximately 10,000 customers, said the algae bloom this year was sudden because of “hot water quickly following a mild spring.”

“Water at the bottom of the raw water reservoir that supplies Ione’s water supply quickly warmed, cool water rose to the top, and the water supply essentially ‘flipped’ in the reservoir. This can often lead to the formation of elevated levels of taste and odor,” the agency said. 

Officials are treating the water at the Ione Treatment Plant to regulate the taste and smell of the water, but the agency said water chemistry requires close monitoring because new organic compounds emerge every year. 

Read more California man who fell asleep drunk in In-N-Out drive-thru to serve prison time

There is no health risk with the water, and officials are making adjustments to the raw water supply, the agency said. Residents who notice any strange changes to their drinking water should call the agency’s customer service line at 209-223-301. 

The Amador Water Agency did not respond to SFGATE’s request for comment. 

A weird taste and smell has also been present in California’s tap water in the past. In November, “seasonal adjustments” caused a strange taste in the water in some East Bay cities as the East Bay Municipal Utility District was blending some of its water sources with the Pardee Reservoir on the Mokelumne River. At the time, local authorities said the change in taste was completely normal.