Drinking Water Quality Update - September 18, 2020

To Our Customers:

We want to update you on a current situation with Molalla's drinking water.

You may be experiencing odors or poor tasting water.

Some customers have noticed their tap water has a smoky taste and/odor.

Your water is safe to drink.

The City of Molalla has repeatedly tested the drinking water and can assure you it is still safe for drinking - cooking - or washing:

•    The chlorine levels remain sufficient to kill germs.

•    All tests at the Water Treatment Plant meet the guidelines required by the Oregon

Health Authority.

•    The slight change in color and taste are simply aesthetic changes, all fall below the regulatory recommendations  for these parameters, and do not pose a risk to public health.

Why does your water smell and/or taste different?

Our drinking water comes from the Molalla River, several miles upstream from the City. It is filtered then disinfected with chlorine to meet state and federal drinking water standards. After treatment it is delivered to homes and businesses.

The recent wildfires nearby have sent particulates and smoke into the atmosphere. Some of that ends up in the 203-square mile watershed and stream that supply our source water. The City of Molalla's water filtration system uses several proven methods to filter these particulates out of our finished water. Due to the prolonged length of the wildfire event, even after treatment some odor and/or taste may remain, though they pose no risk to public health.

What are we doing?

We have several tools in our treatment toolbox to deal with the remaining color and taste in the treated water. We are currently working closely with other communities in the area facing similar issues and are attempting to increase the amount of activated carbon in our filtration system, a tool most effective at reducing the color, taste and odor. We are also testing the water quality frequently at the filtration plant and in the water distribution system to further optimize our treatment approach. You can be sure the water at your tap is safe, and we have been flushing the distribution system where doing so may improve taste.

What can you do?

Your water is safe to drink, but there are a couple of actions you can take if you are sensitive to these changes in color and taste:

•    Color, taste, and odor can be further removed with some home water filter pitchers and filter systems.

•    Bottled water may also provide a better appearing, better tasting water during this time.

Duration of water taste and/or odor.

At this time, we anticipate that taste and/or odor irregularities in the drinking water may continue until the water source (Molalla River) returns to normal. With the rainfall last night and clearing

of smoke in our area, we expect the Molalla River to improve, which will help us treat and flush the taste and/or odor from the system. You may see crews flushing water through fire hydrants to expedite this process or crews doing testing throughout the system.

Questions?

Learn more about Molalla's drinking water by going to https://www.cityofmolalla.com/publicworks/page/water-treatment. Or you can contact me by email at gfisher@cityofmolalla.com

We promise to keep our customers informed as we work to resolve this situation. Meanwhile, stay safe and keep in touch.

Thank you!

Gerald Fisher

Public Works Director