Some San Fernando Valley residents have taken to social media to complain about their water smelling and tasting…well, dirty or moldy.
“The water in Reseda smells like soil and is musty,” Daniel Nakamura posted to X, formerly Twitter, while tagging the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. “Is it safe to drink?”
Another X user, Rena Durham, also tagged LADWP, saying nearly the same thing.
“What’s going on with the water,” she asked. “It tastes like moldy dirt…What are you doing about it?”
Michael Sakamano said on X that for the last three days, the tap water in the San Fernando Valley has had an “earthy-pond-water smell.”
“Can you provide an update on the cause? What advice regarding water safety,” he said.
In each instance, LADWP responded, saying they are aware that customers in these areas have noticed a musty odor coming from their water.
“Our initial testing has confirmed that this is due to a natural, seasonal presence of algae that does not pose any public health or safety concern,” the department added.
LADWP also said it’s adjusting its operations and treatment in hopes of fixing the issue as soon as possible. They have also increased water sample collection and testing “out of an abundance of caution” and say they will continue to monitor the situation and keep residents updated.
“Your tap water continues to be safe to drink and does not have any impact on the safety of your water,” LADWP said. “The odor can also be improved if you run the water through a filter pitcher or refrigerator filter.”