2 MD Counties Could Soon Taste Salty Water Coming From Faucets: Report

ROCKVILLE, MD — Residents living across Montgomery and Prince George's counties may soon detect a saltier taste to the water coming out of their home's faucets, according to WTOP.

WSSC Water, which serves as the water utility for both Maryland counties, said the cause is due to anticipated water runoff from roads salted ahead of the recent snowstorm.

“Eventually, it’s going to wash down the storm drains," Lyn Riggins, a spokesperson for the utility, told WTOP. "It’s going to make its way into the creeks, the streams, the rivers, our source water."

The main water source for both counties is the Potomac River, which has its own history of heightened salinity levels over the last three decades.

While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends that sodium levels in drinking water not exceed 20 milligrams per liter, WSSC Water says it's tested water that returns levels above 17 mg/L.

But, she also said it's possible that many residents may not be able to detect the difference. She urged individuals on sodium-restricted diets to "be mindful" of the sudden change in their drinking water.

Read more at WTOP.