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Did the cold snap affect taste, smell of city water?

Lead Summary

by Nick Wognum
Some Ely water customers have noticed a change in the taste and smell of the water coming out of their taps.
“It’s not the Burntside water I’m used to,” said Patricia Nettifee, who lives on the east end of town. “My dad lives over on Camp Street and it’s not as bad there. At my house it just tastes and smell funky.”
The cause may be from a cold snap. Ely operations director Harold Langowski said there aren’t any health concerns and nothing has changed with the city’s water supply or how it is treated.
“We’ve gotten a few calls in isolated areas. It’s asthetic in nature, it’s not a water quality or health concern,” said Langowski.
The city pumps water out of Burntside Lake through an above and below ground pipe system to the water treatment plant on Shagawa Lake.
“We haven’t changed anything, we’re still treating the water the same way and we’ve worked with the Department of Health and our supplier for treatment at the water plant.
“There’s really nothing wrong. People are used to it tasting and smelling so good, I can see why they’re concerned. We don’t have this issue at the plant and I don’t notice it at our garage (on the east end).
“For some odd reason it is in the system and it could be the cold snap we had changed the dynamics. But there’s nothing dangerous or hazardous. We flush the hydrants in areas where people have called with a concern,” said Langowski.
Anyone who has concerns can call the city hall at 218-365-3224.
“I haven’t gotten a call in over a week so I assumed it’s not a problem anymore. If there is a problem we can flush that area. But all treatment processes are exactly the same and it’s coming out of Burntside just like it has since 1932,” said Langowski.

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