An area of the Sierra Nevada foothills is experiencing an “unpleasant” taste and odor in their drinking water, authorities said. The drinking water in Amador County has an “earthy odor” but is safe to drink, the Amador Water Agency said in a Facebook post. The unusual smell and taste is coming from the algae bloom in the Ione Reservoir, which is the source of drinking water for the city of Ione and surrounding areas. The water agency, which serves approximately 10,000 customers, said the algae bloom this year was sudden because of “hot water quickly following a mild spring.” “Water at the bottom of the raw water reservoir that supplies Ione’s water supply quickly warmed, cool water rose to the top, and the water supply essentially ‘flipped’ in the reservoir. This can often lead to the formation of elevated levels of taste and odor,” the agency said. 

Other water quality news:

• Redheaded Blackbelt (Phillipsville, Calif.): State issues abatement orders over Redwood Creek bentonite discharge, threatens fines up to $5,000 a day
• The Reporter (Fairfield, Calif.): Fairfield releases water quality report
• Monterey County Now (Seaside, Calif.): Rural communities with contaminated water push for state funding and long-term solutions