Maintenance May Give Drinking Water Chlorinated Taste, Smell

PLANO, TX — In the coming month, you might notice a stronger than usual smell and taste in your tap water. This is normal, and is safe to drink and use, the City of Plano said.

The water system maintenance project, which lasts from Feb. 26 to March 26, improves the quality of drinking water and helps keep the system clean through the summer months, a statement reads.

The annual system maintenance keeps the city from having to flush out fire hydrants, which can waste massive amounts of water if necessary.

Hydrants must be flushed when the water in the pipes becomes stagnant or when the chlorine concentration in the water drops, according to Interesting Engineering. Without adequate chlorine, potentially harmful bacterias can form in the pipes.

North Texas Municipal Water District and its Member Cities, including Plano, continuously test and monitor water quality to ensure the water is safe to drink. If water disinfection levels drop, hydrant flushing may be initiated to remove older water and refill with higher quality water.

The chlorine maintenance will conclude March 26.

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Lead image via Shutterstock
Report compiled with information from a City of Plano press release