Stinky, Smelly Drinking Water In Tri-Valley Deemed Safe To Drink

PLEASANTON (CBS SF) -- The drinking water for hundreds of thousands of Bay Area residents is leaving them with a bad taste in their mouths, along with a smell of rotten eggs.

Alameda County Zone 7 water agency has received hundreds of complaints over the smell and taste of drinking water it provides to more than a quarter million people in Livermore, Dublin, Pleasanton and parts of San Ramon.

People in the Tri-Valley area started noticing the foul odor about two weeks ago.

Zone 7 blames an algae bloom for the problem, exacerbated by recent hot weather. Following years of drought which built up nutrients on the ground, heavy storms washed a lot of it into rivers and lakes, creating ideal conditions for algae to multiply in the hot weather, especially in the Delta where Zone 7 gets its water.

"We regret what's going on," said Zone 7  Water Quality Manager Gurpal Deol. "But whatever we can do, we are already doing it. Please bear with us.>

The agency says despite the taste and smell, tests have proven the water is safe to drink.

"We are getting the same water at our homes," said Deol. "And we are drinking it. and we feel pretty comfortable."

But not everyone believe that.

Pleasanton resident Laurie Erceg bought a filter to attach to her kitchen faucet and only uses filtered water to brush her teeth and wash her face.

"I'm not buying it's safe," said Erceg. "Not yet."