Columbia Water is continuing its efforts to address the taste and odor issue that is affecting customers served by its Canal Water Treatment Plant. The musty taste and odor is harmless. It is caused by geosmin, which is produced from algae in water and is naturally occurring in the environment. It is what gives dirt and certain vegetables like beets their odor.
The Columbia Canal Water Treatment Plant gets its source water from the Broad River, which is experiencing unprecedented levels of geosmin in and around Columbia. Although we cannot pinpoint the exact reason for this, we do know that algae, which produces geosmin, thrives in hot temperatures, low water levels, and still or slow moving water. We have experienced all three in recent weeks on the Broad River above our Canal Plant intake.
Columbia Water is not alone. Other municipalities that draw water from the Broad and Congaree are seeing similar issues. We sample source water for geosmin routinely and usually it is well under 5 parts per trillion. Over the Memorial Day weekend, it spiked dramatically to 223 parts per trillion. This is unprecedented. It is a rarity that we see levels even approach 25 parts per trillion in water from the Broad River.
While the taste and odor from geosmin is harmless, we understand it is a nuisance for our customers and are doing everything we can to eliminate it. We continue to add activated carbon, which acts like a sponge, to the treatment process. We are also flushing in numerous places throughout our water distribution system. We are also taking steps to add a chemical feed on the source water supply line that will allow us to apply copper sulfate to kill the algae we are receiving from the Canal. Copper sulfate is a chemical commonly used for this purpose, and our plans are being reviewed by SCDHEC prior to implementation. To learn more about the issue and how we are treating it, please visit our web page at https://columbiascwater.net/geosmin-and-mib/.
For taste and odor problems that need immediate attention, please call our Customer Care line at 803-535-3300 so we can initiate flushing activities. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve the issue.