BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The City of Bloomington is adding a coconut-based powder treatment to its drinking water supply after recent complaints about the water’s taste and odor.
The City of Bloomington Utilities, or CBU, announced Tuesday that it has introduced “coconut-based powdered activated carbon” in its treatment process. This change comes after “recent resident inquiries” about the taste and smell of the city’s drinking water.
The City said that the change will improve both taste and odor to create a “fresher drinking experience.” Officials said the water remains safe to drink and meets all state and federal drinking water regulations.
“Taste and odor variations in drinking water often stem from natural compounds like methylisoborneol (MIB) and geosmin, which originate from algae and other organic sources,” a news release said. While these compounds are harmless, they can create a musty taste or odor even in very low concentrations.”
Bloomington sources its water from Lake Monroe, which supplies the Monroe Water Treatment Plant that serves county residents.
To manage the taste and odor of that water, CBU uses treatment methods that include copper sulfate, sodium permanganate and the newly added coconut-based treatment.
Despite calling the new treatment “innovative,” CBU said that residents may notice “earthy tastes or odors” during warmer or drier conditions.
For more information on Bloomington water quality tests, click here. To submit an inquiry to Bloomington Utilities, click here.
