“Earthy” Eastsound Water Smell Still Safe

— from Paul Kamin —

Eastsound Water Users Association (EWUA) has had four calls related to an uncommon odor in the water. The odor was first noticed on Sunday midday, and several calls came in on Monday morning. The water was described as smelling “earthy” or “like algae”

What’s going on?

On Friday, EWUA made an adjustment at the Purdue Treatment plant that is likely to have triggered this event. Staff switched over from the “floating intake” to the original “bottom intake” as the source of water into the treatment plant. This action was initiated by a concern about higher than normal organic material at the surface of the lake. However, we struggled to dial in the treatment process with the change in water composition, and the process may have sent water to the distribution system with this odor.

The two most important water quality parameters measured at the treatment plant are turbidity (how clear is the water) and chlorine residual (chlorine being our disinfectant). EWUA water has remained within our target parameters throughout this event. While the water is safe, any odor in the water is an understandable and unwelcome concern.

On Sunday when staff noticed the treatment plant having trouble removing manganese, they switched back over to the surface intake. It was not until Monday that members called about the odor. There were no messages, call outs, or emails regarding any water quality concerns over the weekend.

EWUA has corrected the treatment plant process, and is now flushing the system in areas where we have received a complaint.

If you smelled a change in your EWUA service recently, please call or email and let us know. The more information we have the better we can understand this situation.

Clearly something went awry in our water system. There is no evidence that there was or is a compromise to public health. We have consulted with our Department of Health engineers in charting our response.  EWUA does apologize for sending you less than the best water we can process during this event.

As always there is free additionally filtered water available at the tap outside our office.