If you’ve noticed a change in the smell and taste of the water in Cape Town, you’re not alone. As the dam levels dwindle, the water we’re getting from them has been affected too.
News24 reports that the City of Cape Town is treating water supplies to improve the taste and smell. This change in the water is caused by a harmless organic compound called geosmin. To counter the effects of the compound, the City has increased dosing the water with powdered activated carbon during the treatment process.
Drought crisis: City’s water quality remains high, safe for drinking https://t.co/1EAdVuxLf3 #CTNews pic.twitter.com/UpxFvpU5pN
— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) March 28, 2017
Councillor Xanthea Limberg says, ‘It must be emphasised that geosmin poses no threat to human health. Even minute concentrations can be detected by the incredibly sensitive human palate.’
While the water is safe to consume, we must still use water responsibly. The latest reports show that there are only 103 days left of usable water.
There is only 17.3% of usable water left, we need to use less than 700 million litres per day. https://t.co/wEdV2oPsAa #ThinkWaterCT pic.twitter.com/DmsVDarsa1
— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) March 28, 2017
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