SHREVEPORT, LA – The City of Shreveport’s Water and Sewerage Department is addressing ongoing complaints about an unpleasant taste and odor in the city’s drinking water.
Officials attribute the issue to naturally occurring algae blooms in Cross Lake, which have resulted in increased levels of Geosmin, an organic compound known for producing an earthy or musty smell.
Despite the noticeable changes, city officials assure residents that the water remains safe to drink and use.
“Geosmin is not harmful to health, but we understand that it can be unpleasant,” said William Daniel, Director of Water and Sewerage. “We are actively working to resolve this issue and appreciate the community’s patience.”
To manage algae growth, the city typically treats Cross Lake with copper sulfate from March through November. The most recent treatment, completed in late November, depleted the 2024 inventory. However, unseasonably warm temperatures in December and January caused additional algae growth, exacerbating the problem.
An order for additional copper sulfate has been placed, but delivery has been delayed due to last week’s snowstorm in South Louisiana. Officials expect the shipment to arrive soon.
In the meantime, the city’s water treatment plant continues using ozone oxidation to combat the odor. However, recent cold weather led to intermittent ozone generator outages, worsening the issue for some residents. The generator is now fully operational, and officials expect improvements in water quality as treatments continue.
Other standard treatment methods used at the plant, including chlorine dioxide, coagulation, and chloramination, do not effectively remove Geosmin.
“We are committed to providing residents with safe, high-quality water and are taking every measure to resolve this issue as quickly as possible,” Daniel added.
Residents should notice improvements in water taste and smell within the next two weeks as copper sulfate treatments resume and ozone oxidation remains consistent.
For updates and additional information, visit the Water and Sewerage Department’s website at www.shreveportlawater.gov.
