The Anderson Regional Joint Water System says its customers may notice an odor or strange taste from their drinking water this spring.
The water system is letting customers know it is addressing the issue by expanding its water treatment process at its Lake Hartwell plant.
7 On Your Side’s Shelby Coates checked with the water system to find out what's causing the change. She found out last year's drought followed by a summer of heavy rain is to blame.
“What we have with the runoff and everything else was blue green algae that was in the tributaries above us which washed out into lake hartwell,” said Anderson Regional Joint Water System Operations Manager David Melton.
Melton says blue green algae is harmless, but sometimes it washes into area lakes and can affect the taste and smell of your water.
He adds that algae bloom every spring and can sometimes impact local lakes up to five years. For example, Lake Greenwood had a similar situation a few years ago.
The water system says it will now use a carbon powder to absorb the algae.
Melton says the process is costly, but safe. He says the equipment for the process is ordered and en route. Plus, construction for the new equipment has already started at the plant site.
Once the carbon process begins, drinking water should be back to it's normal taste and smell within 6 to 8 weeks.
In the meantime, the water systems says it has increased sample testing to ensure safety.