by Timothy Rutt
The Metropolitan Water District says that some customers may notice a "musty taste and odor" in their tap water, but it's not a health hazard, according to a press release.
MWD supplies the Foothill Municipal Water District, which in turn supplies some of the water districts in Altadena and the city of Pasadena.
"The earthy taste and smell stem from an especially large and persistant algae bloom in the east branch of the State Water Project," according to Jim Green, MWD's manager of water system operations.
The state Department of Water Resources is applying copper sulfate to control the algae bloom, and officials said that the treated water will be safe for consumers as well as boaters and swimminers at Silverwood and downstream at Lake Perris, where the bloom is growing.
The offender is 2-methylisborneal, or MIB, which is produced from the growth of certain freshwater algae. MIB levels increase when warm weather accelderates algae bloom.
MWD's Green said that sensitive persons can taste and smell MIB in water levels as low as five parts per trillion (yes, trillion). MIB-tainted water has been detected as high as 20 PPT.
"By comparison, one part per trillion is equivalent to just 10 drops of MIB in enogh water to fill the Rose Bowl," Green said.
