Austin takes steps to improve smell of drinking water

Water officials in Austin are working this weekend to troubleshoot the city’s odorous water.

City officials say the smell is a result of decomposition of zebra mussels in water pipelines. Crews have been removing zebra mussels from intake valves and pipes and using a short term chemical to retard them.

On Saturday, the city said the water was improving and was still safe to drink.

On Sunday, Austin Water tweeted that crews are performing targeted flushing to help water move quickly through the system. They say water customers in the targeted areas are still experiencing unusual taste and odor.

According to a map Austin Water tweeted, most of the flushing is concentrated in South Austin. The flushing will be ongoing as Austin Water continues seeing improvements. They’re asking customers who are still experiencing issues to call 311.


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