Water commission provides update on taste/odour issue

Vauxhall and District Regional 

Water Services Commission 

The Vauxhall and District Regional Water Services Commission has provided a status update with respect to the ongoing taste/odour issue in Vauxhall, Enchant, and Hays. 

Now that spring has finally arrived and the weather starts to warm, so too will the raw water reservoirs.

Thermal stratification is a bi-annual occurrence that affects a majority of reservoirs. During the spring season, the first several feet of water begins to warm. This will cause the water to “divide” into different layers of density due to differing temperatures. Warm water layers will float, as it is less dense than the cooler water below. This process is known as thermal “turnover” and can worsen the taste and odour of drinking water, but it is usually short-lived. 

The Vauxhall Water Treatment Plant, however, will be piloting an algaecide pre-treatment in the raw reservoirs this spring when new raw water comes available to help reduce the potential of algae growth. With reduced algae growth, the taste and odour issues currently being experienced by the Vauxhall Water Treatment Plant caused by Geosmin (GSM) and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) should be further mitigated. 

Water Operators will continue to monitor and test for GSM and 2-MIB throughout the year. This will allow operators to adjust water treatment accordingly for better-tasting water.

“We recognize the ongoing inconvenience and appreciate the ongoing patience and support water users have shown as we continue to work through these challenges to address the situation.”

For any questions or to submit feedback, please use the online tracking system: mdtaber.ab.ca/p/service-tracker  

Category Type: Utility Services 

Request Type: Potable Water 

This will help us to better track, monitor and respond accordingly.

Learn more about seasonal changes in taste and odour of tap water here: mdtaber.ab.ca/p/changes-in-taste-and-odour-of-tap-water Vauxhall and District Regional Water Services Commission 

The Vauxhall and District Regional Water Services Commission has provided a status update with respect to the ongoing taste/odour issue in Vauxhall, Enchant, and Hays. 

Now that spring has finally arrived and the weather starts to warm, so too will the raw water reservoirs.

Thermal stratification is a bi-annual occurrence that affects a majority of reservoirs. During the spring season, the first several feet of water begins to warm. This will cause the water to “divide” into different layers of density due to differing temperatures. Warm water layers will float, as it is less dense than the cooler water below. This process is known as thermal “turnover” and can worsen the taste and odour of drinking water, but it is usually short-lived. 

The Vauxhall Water Treatment Plant, however, will be piloting an algaecide pre-treatment in the raw reservoirs this spring when new raw water comes available to help reduce the potential of algae growth. With reduced algae growth, the taste and odour issues currently being experienced by the Vauxhall Water Treatment Plant caused by Geosmin (GSM) and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) should be further mitigated. 

Water Operators will continue to monitor and test for GSM and 2-MIB throughout the year. This will allow operators to adjust water treatment accordingly for better-tasting water.

“We recognize the ongoing inconvenience and appreciate the ongoing patience and support water users have shown as we continue to work through these challenges to address the situation.”

For any questions or to submit feedback, please use the online tracking system: mdtaber.ab.ca/p/service-tracker  

Category Type: Utility Services 

Request Type: Potable Water 

This will help us to better track, monitor and respond accordingly.

Learn more about seasonal changes in taste and odour of tap water here: mdtaber.ab.ca/p/changes-in-taste-and-odour-of-tap-water

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