The City of Cape Town would like to reassure residents who have detected an earthy flavour to their tap water that it remains safe to drink and compliant with SANS241 standards. The change in taste is due to the presence of geosmin in our raw water supply.

It must be emphasised that geosmin poses no threat to human health. It is a naturally occurring organic compound and is responsible for the earthy taste of beetroot and the scent that occurs in the air when rain falls after a dry spell. The compound is sometimes present in water, particularly during periods of hot weather, and even minute concentrations of a few parts per trillion can be detected by the human palate.

The City of Cape Town advises residents that we are currently experiencing high levels of geosmin in our raw water supply from the Theewaterskloof Dam. This is currently affecting the taste and smell of the water supplied from the Faure and Blackheath Water Treatment Plants to various areas across Cape Town, primarily the central and southern regions.

The City is monitoring the situation as part of the water treatment process, which is currently enhanced by the dosing of powdered activated carbon during this process to reduce the effect of the geosmin. However, it may take some time for the taste and smell of the water to normalise.

Source: City Of Cape Town