Smelly, off-tasting water pours from Brandon taps

Some homeowners in Brandon are dealing with smelly water coming from their taps.

Its kind of like a chemical taste to it and like the smell is chemically, said home-day-care worker Patricia Scott.

Scott is one of many Brandonites who have been unimpressed with what has been coming out of the taps.

The tap water is reportedly giving off a musty, mouldy or fish-bowl-like smelland the taste is off too.

Its so bad, no one in Scotts home is drinking it.

I felt that as a caregiver, I couldnt put their health at risk, not knowing what chemicals are in that water, she said, adding for now shes sticking to bottled water. It kind of scares you.

Brandon gets its water from the Assiniboine River, and officials with the city say the water is safe.

The velocity from spring runoff will stir up the sediments and such in the river and debris such as leaves and that decaying vegetation will at times give you taste and odour, said Brad MacIntosh, manager ofBrandon's water treatment facility.

The taste and odour return every year in the spring, but colder temperatures have made it tougher to treat this year.

Officials at Brandons water treatment plant are adding an absorbent to neutralize the odour and taste.

City officials said there is no reason for residents to boil water or buy bottled water, and in a few days, the taste and smell should be back to normal.