The City of Shreveport’s Water and Sewerage Department is addressing temporary changes in the taste and smell of the city’s drinking water. These changes, caused by naturally occurring algae blooms in Cross Lake, have led to the presence of Geosmin, a harmless compound responsible for an earthy taste and odor.
The department reassures residents that despite the noticeable changes, the water remains completely safe to drink and use for household purposes.
“Geosmin is not harmful to health, but we understand it can be unpleasant,” said William Daniel, Director of Water and Sewerage. “We are actively working to resolve this issue and appreciate the community’s patience.”
The city typically treats Cross Lake with copper sulfate from March to November to manage algae growth. The most recent treatment, conducted in late November, exhausted the 2024 inventory. However, the unseasonably warmer water in Cross Lake led to additional algae growth in December and January. Although an order for additional copper sulfate has been placed, delivery has been delayed due to last week’s snow in South Louisiana. Suppliers are working to expedite the shipment, which is expected to arrive soon.
The water treatment plant is continuing oxidation with ozone to address the odor. While ozone is highly effective against Geosmin, intermittent outages occurred during recent cold spells. These outages, lasting only a few hours at a time, contributed to the odor being more noticeable for some residents.
The issues with the ozone generator have been resolved and the generator is back in service. Other treatment processes used at the plant, including chlorine dioxide, coagulation, and chloramination, are not effective against Geosmin.
“We are committed to providing our residents with safe, high-quality water and are taking every measure to address the current situation,” added Daniel.
Residents can expect noticeable improvements in taste and smell over the next two weeks as copper sulfate treatments resume and ozone operations continue.
For updates and additional information, visit the Water and Sewerage Department’s website www.shreveportlawater.gov/.