No, you’re not imagining things: Bloomington’s water is starting to taste and smell funny again.
The City of Bloomington confirmed Tuesday that recent testing shows increased taste and odor compounds. Officials said they’re taking several steps to address the recurring problem.
City officials blamed recent dry conditions, including a “significant lack of rainfall [that] has dropped Lake Bloomington’s water level by more than a foot.” Normal, for example, saw only 1 inch of rain in August — down 2.8 inches from the average. Those conditions may be contributing to the noticeable return of funky taste and odor.
In response, the city said it’s “activated temporary powdered activated carbon [PAC] treatment," which is used for taste and odor control or removal of organic chemicals. That's expected to reduce levels within the week. The city said it's also started supplementing Lake Bloomington’s supply by blending in water from Evergreen Lake, which is currently testing lower for these compounds.
“The lack of rainfall this summer has clearly impacted our water supply, and our staff is taking the necessary steps to keep our water quality high,” Mayor Dan Brady said in a statement. “We appreciate the community’s patience as these treatments and adjustments take effect.”
This flare-up follows a lengthy period of taste and smell issues with Bloomington’s water in late winter and early spring, annoying residents and disrupting businesses. The city has since spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on materials to address the problem. In late March, the city treated parts of Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake to manage algal growth. The city said unusual weather conditions last winter, including lower water levels, led to an unexpected algal bloom in January.
