Central Los Angeles : SMELLY ALGAE
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Tap water in the Central Los Angeles area, as well as the San Fernando Valley, might smell a little musty for the next week due to an unusually high growth of algae in the water systems, water officials say.
“The water is safe to drink,” said Bruce Kuebler, director of water quality for the Department of Water and Power. “This is strictly an aesthetic problem.”
A green algae has been spotted growing in the water supply at the Silverlake Reservoir, Kuebler said, and a stronger smelling blue-green algae was found in the Haiwee Reservoir, located at the south end of the Owens Valley.
The algae in the Silverlake Reservoir may cause some odors and possibly some discoloration but poses no health risk, Kuebler said, adding that chlorine tablets will be added to the water to treat the algae.
Copper sulfate and ozone will be used to treat the blue-green algae in the Haiwee Reservoir.
To cut down on the unpleasant smell, Kuebler suggested refrigerating tap water in pitchers.
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