The taste and smell of the City of Weyburn’s water has changed, and the City has begun treating it accordingly.
According to city engineer Sean Abram, this usually happens in August after the hot summer days of July; however due to the early spring the quality of water in Nickle Lake has changed early as well.
There are a number of factors that contribute to this type of change in water quality, including the lack of snowfall and spring runoff, high winds stirring up settled material from the bottom of the lake and the growth of algae due to warmer temperatures.
“Last week the quality of the water drawn from Nickle Lake for treatment changed significantly and quickly. The turbidity at the intake changed from 7 to 30, indicating an increase in the organic material in the water. This organic material is algae,” said Abram, adding that as of July 6, the turbidity has decreased to 18.
Even with this change in the raw water quality and the taste/smell that some residents are noticing, the treated water from the Water Treatment Plant meets all the health requirements as required by the provincial and federal agencies; the water is safe to drink and cook with.
“Not everyone has the same sensitivities. Some people are noticing the change in smell and taste, some find it very strong and others do not notice a change,” said Abram.
The City has made changes to the water treatment process to reduce the smell and taste that has been in the water the last few days. It will take a few days for these changes to work their way through the water distribution system and for people to notice an improvement in the smell and taste.
In the meantime, if desired, over the next few days a small countertop charcoal based filter will improve the smell/taste of the water.
If any residents have further questions about water quality, they can contact the City of Weyburn’s Engineering Department at 306-848-3232.
