Why does Marton water taste and smell the way it does?

What is geosmin?
Geosmin is essentially the breakdown of algae, which is more prominent in warmer months. Geosmin is in all surface freshwater sources like rivers, lakes, storage ponds and reservoirs. The smell and taste is more easily detected in warmer water.

Do we treat for geosmin?
Yes, we do impoundment control, which means we identify the best level and area to take water from by testing the PH and dissolved oxygen levels. We also dose the water with activated carbon at the inlet of the water treatment plant, which absorbs the geosmin and we then clarify the activated carbon out of the water. At the present we’re fine tuning the activated carbon doses.

Geosmin can be detected at very low concentrations, and certain people are more sensitive to it than others.

What can you do to help water taste better?
Chilling the water and adding ice cubes has helped some people notice a reduction in the taste and smell of geosmin. Some have also said that lemon slices and/or juice, or a drop of white vinegar can help.

We know that the water at times is not pleasant to drink, but geosmin is not harmful to people or animals, and our water is regularly tested to ensure that it meets Taumata Arowai drinking water standards.

Also, for those that wonder about the filtered water tap at Marton Memorial Hall, the filters are inspected on Monday's and Friday's by our contractors, and they will replace them if needed.