Development of predictive models for geosmin-related taste and odor in Kansas, USA, drinking water reservoirs

The presence of taste and odor compounds can greatly reduce the quality of drinking water supplies. Because the monetary costs associated with the removal of these compounds can be high, it is impractical for most facilities to continuously treat their raw water. Instead, new tools are needed to help predict when taste and odor events may be most likely to occur. Water quality data were collected between June and October in 2006–2007 from five Kansas (USA) reservoirs in order to develop predictive models for geosmin, a major taste and odor compound; two of these reservoirs were also sampled during specific taste and odor events in December 2006 and January 2007. Lake trophic state alone was not a good predictor of geosmin concentrations as the highest average geosmin concentration was observed in the reservoir with the lowest nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations. In addition, taste and odor events were not confined to summer months; elevated geosmin concentrations were observed in several reservoirs during the winter. Growth limitation by inorganic phosphorus appeared to be the primary determinant of geosmin production by algal cells in these reservoirs.