FINDLAY, Ohio — The city of Findlay's water is safe to drink and will not cause any adverse health effects despite an earthy taste and odor caused by a sudden increase in nonhazardous algae, city representatives said on Thursday.
According to the city, the issue being resolved and the taste and odor should be normalized next week as the treatments take effect.
Findlay dealt with similar algae issues in its water about eight years ago. In late September 2014, an algae bloom in a reservoir at Findlay's water treatment plant caused a slightly earthy taste in the city's tap water.
In 2014, the supervisor of the Findlay water treatment plant, Jeff Newcomer, said algae is common in reservoirs and "just about every body of water."
Lake Erie has also dealt with algal blooms for many years. In late July, an algal bloom began developing on the lake.
The city of Toledo was significantly impacted by a Lake Erie algal bloom in 2014 as well, when algae in the lake blew over Toledo's water intake valve and made the city's tap water undrinkable for hundreds of thousands of people from Aug. 2-4.
For both the July 2022 and 2014 algal blooms in Lake Erie, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted the lake would see a smaller bloom.
Algal blooms can take over entire sections of the lake by feeding on the plentiful phosphorus runoff from factory farms, releasing toxins into the water with their trademark putrid smell.
In July, research from Ohio State University showed that for every new microgram per liter of algae, the value of homes near the lake go down by 1.7%. Water bills go up for residents too, who sometimes pay up to $100 dollars more per month for additional water filtration and cleaning.
The dangers of algal blooms are becoming the new normal for lakeshore residents, but NOAA scientist Rick Stumpf said that doesn't mean it will stay this way forever.
He said if farmers reduce the phosphorus levels in their fertilizer, the algae would have nothing to feed on.
"There have been studies and research to show how we can change this," he said.
