Sep. 9--The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners took steps Tuesday to keep Brunswick's water from tasting and smelling funky like it did in late July, early August.

The board agreed during its regular meeting to spend $44,803 on methods that would both prevent or treat musty tasting water if it happens again. In July an algae bloom in the Cape Fear River caused about 22,500 Brunswick County residents from Leland to Sunset Beach to hold their noses when turning on the water,

The musty taste that some residents likened to dirty laundry was a result of a chemical reaction at the Northwest Treatment Plant that occurred because of an algal bloom in the Cape Fear River. The county treats its water with chlorine dioxide, which, when killing algae, produces a chemical reaction.

Public Utilities Director Jerry Pierce said the algae blooms that caused the issue usually occur once a decade. In areas that get their water from lakes, they occur more often, he added.

To avoid bad tasting water in the future, the board agreed to contract with UNCW to regularly test the water for Chlorophyll A, which would be a warning sign that there is algae in the water. The county also will be purchasing a meter that would test raw water for signs of algae. And in case the water becomes funky once again, the county is getting a donated PAC silo from the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority to better treat it.

Pierce said the county's equipment now is not adequate for treating these situations.

"We did a lot of innovative things to do this," he said of treating the musty water which is now back to normal.

The Cape Fear Public Utility Authority does not need the silo because it is expanding its plant and will be basically charging Brunswick for moving costs, totaling more than $30,000 Pierce said.

Officials have said the water was safe to drink because seven days a week, 24 hours a day, they are testing the water to be sure it meets state and federal environmental regulations.

Workers were not already checking for the musty smell because the effect of these algae blooms was not on their radar. Calls poured in during late July to the county after people noticed the foul water and couldn't drink it.

Though the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority pulls its water from the same source, residents on that side of the river didn't experience the same gagging reaction when they turned on the tap.

That's because Cape Fear Public Utility treats its water with ozone instead of chlorine dioxide.

Chairman to the Board of Commissioners Bill Sue said that system would be too pricey. Commissioner Phil Norris added the ozone process can create unwanted by-products.

Pierce said there is no perfect system.

Shelby Sebens: 343-2076

On Twitter.com: @shelbsnc26

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