Utilities Department warns water may taste foul

STAFFORD – The Stafford County Department of Utilities says don’t be surprised if your water tastes a little funny over the weekend.

The county said residents in who live south of Eskimo Hill Road may have an “earthy” taste to their drinking water. The problem began in May when rain inundated both the Abel Lake and Smith Lake reservoirs, the source of Stafford’s drinking water, according to Michelle Lansford, spokeswoman for the county.

Both reservoirs were experiencing water levels well below normal during last year’s drought. The May rains that refilled them also could have brought nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus that caused green algae to grow in Abel Lake, according to Lansford.

The reservoirs are treated on a regular basis to prevent algae growth, but the plant became a problem before the water started being treated with a copper sulfate compound. The copper sulfate kills the algae plant, forcing it to release chemicals called Geosmin.

Discovered more than 100 years ago, Geosmin in soil is a bacteria that produces the fresh soil smell after rainfall. In water it can produce a “muddy” taste, according to the Web site, Science Daily.

“The water is perfectly safe to drink,” said Steve Crosby, acting director of utilities, in a released statement. “There is no need to boil drinking water or to purchase bottled water.”

The county said the smell hasn’t been noticed at the Abel Lake water treatment facility since last Tuesday, but they have received calls from residents in Ferry Farm, Chatham, and at least one complaint from the Warrenton Road area about foul-tasting water. The Geosmin affected none of the water at Smith Lake. Lansford said utility crews have been flushing the affected water from the mains in hopes the smell will be completely gone in the next few days.

Some of the affected areas have already reported significant improvement in the taste of their water, Lansford said.

On June 30, Bob Bos, former director of Stafford’s utilities department retired after a long and distinguished career of 26 years, according to Michael Neuhard, one of Stafford’s deputy county administrators. Steve Crosby, who served as Stafford County Administrator until December, is filling in for Bos while a national search is under way for his replacement.