Water Smell Funky? Blame the River

WASHINGTON - There's something funky in the water. Arlington, Falls Church and D.C. residents filling up a glass with tap water may notice a funny smell or taste.

Washington Aqueduct, where raw water from the Potomac River is now being treated with carbon, is reassuring the public that the water still meets all of the drinking water safety standards.

Algal blooms in the Potomac River, intensified by the current low water levels and high temperatures, could be giving the water a musty smell and taste.

Patricia Gamby, an engineer with the Washington Aqueduct, talked with WTOP about the carbon process while standing near the treatment platform of the flume room, even though the roar of rushing water made it hard to have a conversation. The heat and humidity coming from the 82-degree water running under the platform of the concrete, glass-enclosed room made it feel as if someone had just taken a hot shower. Listen to the interview on the left.

"You can smell it in here," says Gamby. "What we're smelling now is basically the river water coming in and the musty smell that you're smelling is the effect of the algae bloom in the warm water. It's mainly temperature related. When the water level is higher and deeper, the water stays a little bit cooler."

The carbon process was started Monday after complaints from residents.

"The ultimate goal of the carbon is to absorb the odors. The carbon will then fall out in the rest of the treatment process, so the odors will be absorbed and then the water will go out with less or no taste or odor," says Gamby .

According to Gamby, treatment and monitoring should remove the smell and taste in a "few days."

If you've have concerns about your water quality, call your water provider.

• D.C. Water and Sewer Authority -- 202-612-3400.
• Arlington County Environmental Services -- 703-228-6555.
• Falls Church Environmental Services -- 703-248-5071.

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