Water authority blames ‘unusually high’ number of fires for dirt-tasting water

As the dirt-tasting tap water continues flowing from the faucets of Bibb County residents homes, the culprit of the foul taste remains unclear.

The Macon Water Authority has been mum about the issue, but it issued a news release late last week following The Melody’s story about the ongoing issue. 

In the news release, the authority stated the dirt-taste was likely due to “an unusually high number of fires” across several neighborhoods. The fires — about 40, according to the release — resulted in heavy use of fire hydrants which stirred up “harmless minerals or sediments that may slightly affect the taste or odor in certain areas.” 

However, the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department said that’s not the case. 

“It’s about the normal course of business as far as the fire department is concerned regarding structure fires,” Deputy Fire Chief Ron Smith said by phone Monday. “It ain’t got nothing to do with the fire department … The structure fires, when you divide them out over years, we’ve pretty much stayed at the same amount.”

Smith said he disliked the water authority’s apparent finger-pointing. He noted the fire department maintains a good relationship with the authority though it hasn’t heard from anyone from the authority in about two weeks. 

The water authority did not respond to a question from The Melody about the fire department’s response indicating there hasn’t been an unusually high number of fires.

The authority mentioned one other possible cause for the dirt-tasting water in its news release: seasonal changes at Javors Lucas Lake, the county’s reservoir off the Ocmulgee River. The so-called “lake turnover,” occurs when water layers mix and release “harmless organic compounds such as geosmin and MIB [2-Methylisoborneol]. These naturally occurring substances can produce an earthy taste even at very low levels. While both factors can influence taste and odor, they do not affect water safety or quality.”

The Melody has continued to question Macon Water Authority CEO Ron Shipman and authority board chair Gary Bechtel but has not received a reply to any of its inquiries.

The Melody requested the most recent water testing data from complainants homes and the authority’s most routine testing data from the water distribution system. The authority estimated it would cost The Melody $700-$800 for that data and demanded prepayment. It did not provide a description of the records or a timeline for production.

Even so, The Melody obtained a copy of the results from testing done at one complainant’s home. Geosmin and MIB were not compounds the authority tested for, but the test included pH, free Chlorine, Flouride, Orthophosphate, alkalinity, Iron, Manganese, hardness, turbidity, conductivity and total Coliform.

The authority did not respond to questions about why only 11 compounds were tested for at the complainants homes.

The authority said weeks ago it had six complainants but has not responded to questions about whether there have been more. Even so, residents continue voicing concerns about the dirt-water taste of their tap water online.