EVERETT — An early and intense algae bloom in Lake Chaplain is to blame for a metallic taste in the drinking water in Everett and surrounding communities.
“It’s coming into the treatment plant, so it’s affecting the entire service area,” said Marla Carter, a spokeswoman for the city of Everett’s Public Works department.
The water is safe to drink, Carter said. The aftertaste is a result of the treatment process.
The usual practice during algae blooms is to draw water from an intake lower down in the lake where the water is cooler. That usually fixes the problem, she said.
“But it looks like the algae has moved down to that level of the lake,” Carter said.
“Today we’re going to start drawing water from Spada Lake, which doesn’t have that algae,” she said.
It will take anywhere from several hours to 10 days for the water to move all the way through the system.
The city’s water system serves an area with a population of about 566,000, including Mukilteo, Monroe, Lynnwood and the Alderwood area. Some other cities, such as Marysville and Snohomish, mix Everett water with water from other sources, but some of their customers may still experience the metallic taste.
Chris Winters: 425-374-4165; cwinters@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @Chris_At_Herald.
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