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Greeley Drinking Water Remains Safe During Temporary Taste and Odor Event

July 27, 2026

GREELEY, Colo. — Greeley’s drinking water remains safe to drink, cook with, bathe in, and use as normal. The Boyd Lake Water Treatment plant is currently experiencing a taste and odor event associated with naturally occurring algal compounds in the Boyd Lake source water system. These compounds can create noticeable taste and odor even at low levels, but they do not indicate that the water is unsafe.

“Customers have noticed a difference in the way their water tastes or smells, but the water remains safe to use and consume as normal,” said Michaela Jackson, Greeley’s Water Quality and Regulatory Compliance Manager. “Our water department staff are actively monitoring conditions and adjusting treatment to reduce the taste and odor as quickly as possible.”

What the City Is Doing

City staff are actively managing the situation with increased water quality monitoring throughout the system, additional source water sampling, enhanced water treatment to remove the taste and odor, and managing the water in the distribution system.

Staff are using this data to optimize the application of powdered activated carbon, which is commonly used to remove the compounds responsible for the earthy or algae-like taste and odor. City staff are also working to clear the affected water from the system sooner by increasing irrigation at city parks.  

Why This Is Happening

Taste and odor events can occur when naturally occurring algae in source water reservoirs release compounds that create an earthy or algae-like smell or taste. Warmer temperatures and dry conditions can contribute to algal activity in source water systems.

This year’s drought conditions have limited Greeley’s supply and operational flexibility to switch or blend water sources to best manage the algal conditions. These source of supply limitations have made the current taste and odor issue more difficult to prevent and control.

What Customers Can Do

Customers can continue to drink and use Greeley water as normal. For customers who are sensitive to the temporary taste or odor, the following steps may help:

  • Refrigerate drinking water before use. Taste and odor are often less noticeable when the water is cold.
  • Add lemon, cucumber or mint to help mask the earthy or algae-like taste.
  • Use a home water filter designed for taste and odor that contains activated carbon.
  • Check your filters and replace them, if needed.
  • Use ice made from filtered or chilled water, since ice can carry the taste or odor of water used to make it.

For additional information and answers to common questions, customers can go to https://greeleyco.gov/water-and-sewer/water-system/water-quality/.

 

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