Earthy tasting water ‘safe to drink’

The City of Cape Town has moved 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 City says the change in taste is due to the presence of geosmin in the raw water supply from the Theewaterskloof Dam. 

Authorities say they are dosing powdered activated carbon during the water treatment process to reduce the effect of the geosmin. But warns it may take some time for the taste and smell of the water to normalise.