Columbia’s stinky drinking water should soon taste and smell better, city officials say
The compound that caused complaints about musty and stinking water in Columbia has decreased to a nearly imperceptible level, with city officials predicting the smell and taste of the water will be back to normal by early next week.
During the first two weeks of June, geosmin levels skyrocketed past a noticeable amount for humans, reaching as high as 375 parts per trillion in drinking water on June 6 and June 7. That’s about 75 times higher than levels that trigger odors and a foul taste in drinking water.
Columbia’s levels had dropped to 5.44 parts per trillion this week, officials said. The combination of treatment and recent rains helped clear up the high levels of geosmin, a compound associated with algae, that is a nuisance in drinking water, city officials said.
Geosmin, which is not considered unsafe to consume in drinking water, is a naturally occurring material that gives vegetables like beets their odor, Robert Yanity, Columbia Water spokesman, said in a previous release.
Clint Shealy, an assistant city manager who oversees Columbia’s water treatment system, said better tasting water will take several days to make its way through the system. But Shealy said he’s already noticed an improvement downtown.
“We are cautiously optimistic this has passed, but we will remain vigilant and continue our daily sampling,’’ Shealy said.
The geosmin problem has been found in the Broad River but has not been an issue at Columbia’s other major drinking water source, Lake Murray, officials have said.
Columbia’s trouble with the odor and taste of water in parts of the city were not isolated. Cayce and West Columbia also experienced the earthy, musty smelling water. Details on efforts to resolve the problem in those cities were not immediately available.
Why Columbia had excessively high levels of geosmin remains a bit of a mystery, but regulators have suspicions.
City and state officials say the geosmin problem is tied to algae blooms in the Broad River. The algae may have come from lakes Monticello and Parr, several miles upstream from Columbia on the Broad River.
“It is possible the algae bloom was released from Monticello and Parr and was carried downstream, although that can’t be confirmed,’’ Laura Renwick, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, said in an email this week.
Regulators suspect lower than normal water levels and dry weather contributed to the outbreak of algae that caused the geosmin issue in Columbia, Cayce and West Columbia.
“The major factors influencing the growth and reproduction of algae can include .... increased sunlight availability, warm water temperatures, slow-moving water, and the availability of nutrients,’’ such as nitrogen and phosphorus, Renwick’s email said.
To minimize the stench and irregular taste, water officials have been adding copper sulfate, a chemical commonly used for addressing algae problems, to the treatment process since June 6 under DHEC’s approval. Columbia has also been using activated carbon to sponge the compound from the water and expanded the city’s capacity for adding activated carbon.
Recent rain has also helped to reduce the geosmin entering the canal to be treated.
Columbia is continuing its efforts to address the issue, according to the release.
The city has asked anyone with immediate taste or smell problems to contact the water department at 803-545-3300.
DHEC said it will keep an eye on city efforts to improve the taste and smell of drinking water.
“The facilities are taking steps to control the taste and odor, and DHEC will continue to oversee their efforts, as well as monitor the ambient waters and communicate those results to the facilities,’’ Renwick said.
