- Natural seasonal changes in lakes and rivers can affect how drinking water tastes and smells. These shifts can be annoying, but they do not mean the water is unsafe. Fredville tests its water every day to confirm it meets all state and federal standards, which are grounded in public health research, and the city must notify customers if those standards are ever not met.
- Spring and summer usually bring the most noticeable changes. Heavy spring rain, warmer temperatures and longer, sunnier days all speed up the growth of algae, which are tiny plants that live in lakes and rivers.
- Spring storms also wash sediment and other organic material into the watershed, which can give water an "earthy" or "musty" flavor. That material feeds the algae and helps it spread, especially during long stretches of sunshine.
- Standard treatment methods usually cannot remove these tastes and odors. They fade once the algae bloom has run its course.
- During the summer, the city adds water from wells to the surface water it buys. Customers who are used to surface water for most of the year may notice the blend. Well water meets the same standards as surface water, but it has a different taste.
- Groundwater naturally carries more dissolved minerals, which gives it a stronger flavor. Minerals are a big part of what makes water taste the way it does; distilled water, which has none, tastes flat.
- You may sometimes smell chlorine. It is a disinfectant, required by federal rules, that keeps the water free of harmful organisms. The smell is usually strongest right after you turn on the tap and fades within a few minutes. Before chlorination became common, waterborne illnesses were widespread, and its use has all but wiped out diseases such as typhoid, cholera and dysentery.
- Cloudy or "milky" water is usually caused by tiny air bubbles. To check, fill a glass and watch it. If it clears from the bottom up right away, trapped air was the cause.
- Chilling water in an open container in the refrigerator will help improve its taste and smell.
Civic clubs, community groups and charitable organizations can request a speaker on water conservation. For details, call (555) 010-4682.
Fredville is a demonstration city built by Talk to Fred. Names, numbers and details on this page are sample content.