Nature May Cause Drinking Water to Taste, Smell Strange

House of Blurbs

Staff Report

Some customers may detect a taste or odor issue with drinking water right now, while others may not. Regardless, it’s important to remember that the water is still safe to drink, says Alan Fortenberry, P.E., Chief Executive Officer for Beaver Water District.

“In the summertime, conditions in Beaver Lake promote more rapid growth of algae,” Fortenberry said. “When the algae die, they may give off smelly chemicals that can cause unpleasant tastes in drinking water. Here at the District, we keep an eye on what’s going on with algae conditions when we sample for ‘MIB,’ or 2-methylisoborneol, an organic compound.”

Additionally, in early fall, the lake also experiences what is commonly called turnover. Turnover simply means that the water in the lake is mixed from top to bottom, Fortenberry said. When this happens, compounds rise from the bottom of the lake to the top, which frequently leads to taste and odor problems.

Free Legal Help for Homeowners Facing Foreclosure

The University Of Arkansas School Of Law will conduct free walk-in clinics for Northwest Arkansas homeowners who are facing possible foreclosure in the Fayetteville Public Library’s Leverenz Room starting Sept. 26 and continuing through November. no appointments are required.

The free clinics were made possible with the support of a grant from the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office and are part of the national mortgage settlement. Additional information about the program can be found at http://law.uark.edu/clinic/foreclosure or email inquiries to: dcolulter@uark.edu