Algae from high temperatures affecting Arvada drinking water

Arvada reservoir

ARVADA, Colo. — Algae caused by the prolonged string of 90-degree days on the Front Range this summer is causing problems with Arvada’s drinking water.

According to the city of Arvada, residents have reported that their water has taken on either an unpleasant taste or smell in the past few weeks. City Communications Manager Wendy Forbes said the unpleasant water is due to an algae bloom in the Arvada reservoir, trigger by a period of intense heat.

While she said it’s “understandable” residents are concerned, Forbes said the situation is not abnormal, especially considering the month of July was the hottest on record in Denver.

The city said the heat caused an algae bloom. But it’s the natural compounds released from the algae as they die off that causes the water’s unpleasant taste.

“The changes we are experiencing are not harmful and our local water meets all standards for purity,” Forbes said. “This is a temporary situation at the reservoir tied to our summer’s intense heat.”

The city is taking some measures to eliminate the unpleasantness in the water. Personnel at the water treatment plant have begun adding activated carbon, a material similar to what is used in carbon filters, to minimize the disagreeable taste and odor, Forbes said.