Algal bloom not cause of reported Price water odor, taste

The funny smell and taste of water in Price the last few days is due to high temperatures and growth of a non-toxic form of algae in Scofield Reservoir, according to the Southeast Utah Health Department and Price River Water Improvement District.
A Price City press release caused concern when it referenced an algal bloom discovered by the local health department and Utah Department of Environmental Quality, though the UDEQ has not reported any such finding at Scofield Reservoir.
UDEQ does monitor the state’s water bodies for blue-green algae, which in quantity can produce toxins that pose a risk to humans.
Brady Bradford, a local health department official, said early reports about a new algal bloom in Scofield assumed the algae was of the blue-green variety.
For some lakes and reservoirs, including at times in Scofield Reservoir, the algae does pose a problem. For example on June 29 the Utah County Health Department closed the Lincoln Marina and Lincoln Beach at Utah Lake due to high concentrations of cyanobacteria.
Algae growth can occur rapidly as well, which is why the danger is taken seriously. Measurements for algae cells at Utah Lake on June 25, for example, showed 14 times more cells than measurements just five days prior, according to an update reported by UDEQ.
The state’s environmental quality department has not reported any algae bloom at Scofield Reservoir, according to the department’s communications director.
“We have not heard of any algal bloom at Scofield Reservoir. I haven’t seen anything,” said department public information officer Donna Kemp Spangler.
PRWID officials posted a notice on that agency’s Facebook page addressing concerns of an algal bloom.
“This is not related to any Blue/Green algae occurrence. Thank you for your understanding. Again, the water has been tested and is safe,” the social media post states.
Some PRWID customers were confused because an earlier Price City press release specifically referenced the UDEQ and health department as reporting an algal bloom affecting water quality.
“Price City is aware of the current situation at Scofield Reservoir concerning algae bloom as reported by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality via the Southeastern Utah Health Department,” the city’s press release stated.
Spangler said she thinks there was some confusion caused by a swimmer who reported an algal bloom and thought it had some adverse effects on their health a few weeks ago.
She said a visual assessment determined it was not the more dangerous blue-green algae.
Price City Thursday afternoon released a statement clarifying its earlier notice.
“The Utah Department of Environmental Quality recently did a visual inspection of Scofield Reservoir and confirmed there was no algal bloom,” the city statement reads. “An incident was reported where a water skier reported symptoms of potential algal bloom exposure. Water quality scientists did not detect an algal bloom when they did a visual inspection.”
In response to the smell and odor of Price City water, PRWID posted that it was “adding additional methods of treatment to correct for taste and odor by increasing the ozone dosage, activated carbon, and free chlorine” in the city’s drinking water.