Rockhampton Regional Council is taking a number of steps to improve the taste of water in Mount Morgan after some residents raised issues about a change in flavour.
Three truckloads of water per day are now being taken up to Mount Morgan's Water Treatment Plant, and a new step is being added in the water treatment process.
Rockhampton Region Mayor, Tony Williams, emphasised that water from the taps in Mount Morgan was still safe to drink.
"We monitor the drinking water very closely, and it continues to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines", said Mayor Williams.
"These actions are absolutely not an issue about the safety of the water.
"However as the storage level in the dam continues to fall, some residents have noticed a change in the taste or odour of water from the taps.
"We have started taking three truckloads of water up from Gracemere to the Mount Morgan Water Treatment Plant each day. Even though the current water supply is sufficient, adding this additional water to the mix will help to dilute the taste."
Water and Supporting a Better Environment Councillor Donna Kirkland said an extra element was also being added to the treatment process to help tackle the taste.
"The water from your taps is absolutely safe to drink even with the different taste, but we are working on ways to help reduce the flavour change.
"The taste change happens due to blue green algae that have grown in the increasingly still water. This bacteria is commonly found in raw water storages, dams, and rivers (including the Fitzroy River) but we always treat this to ensure the water is safe before it reaches your tap.
"Our Fitzroy River Water team will be adding another part to the treatment process which should help filter out some of the change in taste, and of course the water being added from Gracemere will help dilute that too.
"We are using powdered activated carbon to help get rid of the taste, and will also be adding granular carbon on top of our filters for an extra opportunity for the taste to improve.
"Lots of people use carbon for water treatment in their homes so it's something you may be familiar with, but this is obviously a much more complex version.
"It will take a few days before we see those changes come through but we will keep a very close eye on it to see if there are improvements to the taste, and of course keep listening to feedback from residents."
Divisional Councillor Cherie Rutherford said there were a number of ways people could access further information.
"We have heard what people have raised about the taste issues and we are taking action to improve this.
"We have a new section on our website for the people of Mount Morgan which is regularly updated: www.rrc.qld.gov.au/mountmorganwater.
"We have also sent booklets to every single household, and our public meeting for Mount Morgan residents is on Monday 29 March.
"If you prefer to speak over the phone, please call our customer service team on 4932 9000."
