Organic matter fouls local water.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Did your water smell or taste a little funny Thursday? It did for about 50 people who called the Eugene Water & Electric Board to complain about a musty or moldy odor or taste.

It wasn't their imagination, said EWEB spokesman Lance Robertson. Instead, it was the result of an algae bloom or similar organic matter that found its way into the utility's McKenzie River intake near Hayden Bridge.

Such incidents "are not uncommon in the summer, especially when you have a streak of 90-degree plus days," Robertson said. The odor can sometimes be detected in the fall, though not as pronounced, when there's a huge leaf fall, he said.

Algae grow best in warmer water, and the recent string of hot days has pushed the McKenzie water temperature to about 70 degrees - about 6 degrees above the norm for this time of year. The algae may have collected behind the Cougar or Blue River dams, he said.

Despite the odor, the water is completely safe to drink, Robertson said.

EWEB officials noticed the smell early Thursday and applied some powdered carbon to knock down the odor, he said. As with other carbon filters, the organic material bonds to the carbon molecules and can then be filtered out.

One way to get rid of the odor is to pour water into a pitcher and then put it in a refrigerator; cooler temperatures and a still place can help mask or dissipate the smell.

However, the odor should have dispersed by today, Robertson said. Also, high water usage this week means that any funny-smelling water should be used up quickly, he said.