An abundance of algae gave Arlington tap water an earthy taste and smell for several days last week.
High temperatures, sunshine and lower water levels allowed algae in Lake Arlington to proliferate, according to a city press release. The algae release compounds that affect water taste and smell, but not safety.
Nate Ross, who lives near the Parks Mall at Arlington, first noticed it last week, as he prepared for a workday outdoors.
“I made sure that I had a clean bottle, and I took a few tastes, then I dumped it out and then I went to try it again,” Ross said.
Bill Gase, assistant director of water treatment, said the algae bloom has subsided. The city stopped receiving calls from customers about tap water around 10 a.m. Monday, he said.
“We believe this bloom has passed, but we’ll continue monitoring it because it may happen again,” Gase said. “Today’s cold, relatively speaking, but it’s still going to be 100-plus degrees (Fahrenheit) for the next couple of weeks.”
Lake Arlington usually sees an increase in algae at the end of summer, Gase said. The city's water utilities department observed traceable levels of the odor caused by algae earlier in the month.
"The next week it was like 20-fold higher. It caught us off guard a little bit," he said.
Gase said residents should call if they notice any changes to their tap water.
Arlington uses two water treatment plants. Pierce-Burch Water Treatment Plant receives water from Lake Arlington, and the John F. Kubala Water Treatment Plant receives water from the Cedar Creek Reservoir and Richland Chambers Reservoir in East Texas.
The city treated the water to contend with the algae bloom, Gase said, and asked for help from the Tarrant Regional Water District. Levels at Lake Arlington had been about 7 feet lower than normally found at the start of summer.
Tarrant Regional Water District, which sells the city raw water for treatment, added more water to Lake Arlington from larger reservoirs at the city’s request, Gase said.
The District increased the daily flow of water into Lake Arlington by 50%, to 150 million gallons.
"(Tarrant Regional Water District) had been increasing in July flows, but we just said, 'Hey, can you put a little bit more water in?'" Gase said.
Both Pierce Burch and John F. Kubala plants are required during the summer to provide enough water for residents. The city hit a yearly high for water demand at 97 million gallons of tap water on Thursday.
Got a tip? Email Kailey Broussard at kbroussard@kera.org. You can follow Kailey on Twitter @KaileyBroussard.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, considermaking a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
