Sacramento Leaders Explain Cause Of 'Earthy' Taste In Tap Water

The city of Sacramento has been receiving calls from residents talking about an "earthy" taste and odor to their tap water, reports Sacramento City Express.

According to utilities staff, it's actually harmless to residents and has a specific explanation.

“The taste and odor are caused by those organic materials, which are not toxic or harmful,” said City Water Quality Superintendent Mark Severeid. “People can detect one of those naturally occurring compounds, called Geosmin, at extremely low concentrations. Geosmin is also the compound that makes the air smell earthy after it rains.”

Because of the drought, river levels are lower than normal, so city officials say they aren't surprised they're getting calls about the water at this time.

“We typically receive these calls in late summer or early fall but due to the dry conditions, river levels are lower and water temperatures are higher sooner than usual — causing more organic materials," said Severeid.

Officials emphasized that the water is 100% safe to drink despite the earthy smell and taste.

But for people who find the taste unpleasant, officials say adding lemon juice or chilling their tap water before drinking can improve the taste.

The city expects future upgrades and expansions will help the city's water treatment plants to remove taste and odor-causing materials.