The City of Bartlesville has addressed a new reason utility customers may have a funky taste and smell in their water — vandals damaged the equipment used to prevent the algae that causes the odor.
In June, the city addressed the odor in its weekly newsletter, explaining it stemmed from two compounds created by algae, geosmin and methyl-isoborneoli. The city takes several steps to prevent the compounds, but one of those steps, a pre-treatment center that filters out the compounds, is down for renovations until September, the city said at the time.
On Tuesday, the newsletter addressed the odor again, adding there is a problem with another precaution to prevent the compounds. Normally, the city maintains 10 mixers in Hudson Lake that churn the water, preventing the algae from forming. Recently, however, only two to five have been operational at once as vandals have caused extensive damage to the machines.
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“These mixers are responsible for basically turning the water over from bottom to top so that algae formation is greatly reduced. Unfortunately, we’ve had several of these units damaged or destroyed by vandals, so we’ve been in a constant state of repair since the summer started,” Water Plant Superintendent Larry Thompson said in the newsletter.
Currently, five of the units are operational. There is not a cost estimate for the repairs yet.
Some of the damage may have been unintentional, as some people attach brush to the devices to attract fish. Other damage was intentional though. Thompson said in the newsletter that vandalism of this kind is against the law.
While geosmin and methyl-isoborneoli are not harmful to humans or pets, the Bartlesville Water Utilities Department takes several precautions to prevent it from forming. This includes treating Hudson Lake with environmentally-friendly algaecide, according to the newsletter.
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Despite recent trouble preventing the odor, Bartlesville water was found to be safe in an annual report released by the state. Municipalities are required to report water quality data regularly to ensure it meets state and federal standards. In the most recent Consumer Confidence Report, the city water system was found to have no compliance violations.
“We’re hoping that getting the word out there that destruction of these units is not only a crime but also has so many other, unintended consequences will help stop this from happening. Hudson Lake is one of our most valuable and important resources, and we all need to do our part in protecting it,” Bartlesville Water Utilities Director Terry Lauritsen said in the newsletter.
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