Tastes and odors in kingston's municipal drinking water: A case study of the problem and appropriate solutions

This paper describes a 1995 study conducted in Kingston, Ontario, commissio ned by the water utility to quantify the degree of public concern over alga e-induced tastes and odors (T/O) in local drinking water. These T/O episode s had been sporadic in the past, but were becoming more frequent as a resul t of changes occurring in the water source (Lake Ontario). Complaints to th e utility had increased an estimated ten-fold from the previous year, due t o a long-term T/O episode in the late summer/early fall of 1994. The utilit y was interested in gathering information both locally and provincially on the impacts and effects of these episodes, which would be used to formulate a strategy for dealing with this problem in future. The results from this study played a key role in this process. From the results of a public opinion survey and a survey of strategies used by other utilities experiencing similar problems, it was concluded that, w hile the number of complaints increased during these periods, the degree of public concern was not substantial enough to warrant any significant chang es in water treatment operations at this time. There was also little desire to increase public spending on water treatment. As well, it appears that t he affected consumers were capable of dealing with this problem on an indiv idual basis through use of water filtration pitchers in the home, It was re commended that a public education campaign be instituted by the utility, to better inform the public about these episodes and associated risks as they occurred. Further monitoring of the frequency of occurrence of these episo des was also suggested.