Although people may detect an earthy taste in tap water, the City of Cape Town stressed and reassured residents that it remains safe to drink and compliant with SANS241 standards.
The change in taste is due to the presence of geosmin in the raw water supply from the Theewaterskloof Dam, the City said in a statement last week.
It added that geosmin poses no threat to human health, as it’s a naturally occurring organic compound which is also responsible for the earthy taste of beetroot and the scent that occurs in the air when rain falls after a dry spell. The compound is sometimes present in water, particularly during periods of hot weather and even minute concentrations of a few parts per trillion can be detected by the human palate.
“This is currently affecting the taste and smell of the water supplied from the Faure and Blackheath water treatment plants to various areas across Cape Town,” the statement read. “We are monitoring the situation as part of the water treatment process, which is currently enhanced by the dosing of powdered activated carbon during this process to reduce the effect of the geosmin. However, it may take some time for the taste and smell of the water to normalise.”
