The city of Lawrence is researching new treatment methods to deal with a taste and odor problem associated with its drinking water which recently have become a more serious issue.
The city’s Utility Department said there is a solution in the works that would use “advanced oxidation” to combat taste and odor issues that are being caused by a by-product of algae. The new process essentially would produce ozone oxidize the by product of algae decomposition, e.g. MIB or geosmin.
The master plan estimates it would cost about $18 million to add the oxidation process to the city’s two water treatment plants. Currently, the city uses carbon powder to treat the water, but it hasn’t been very effective in controlling taste and odor issues related to the most recent geosmin outbreak. Geosmin, a by-product of dead algae, doesn’t pose a health risk to humans or pets, but city officials concede the taste and odor are unpleasant.