EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -
Evansville water officials say the drought is causing a large algae bloom in the Ohio River. They say it isn't a big problem yet, but it could be soon if the hot, dry weather keeps up.
The water department says the algae level is no where near as high as it's been in years past, but they say they are doing everything to keep the water safe to drink.
The water department's Roger Johnson says the river is low and slow due to minimal rainfall this season, and that creates ideal conditions for algae growth. He also says they have had to filter very little algae, and the city's water quality is up to par.
However, Johnson also acknowledges there are many more summer days ahead, and he says more algae could mean the water might taste worse.
"In mid-August we have a planned event that we are going to be going to, what we refer to as Raw Water Chlorination. We start disinfecting our entire system with chlorine only, and that is a proactive measure that we use to forego any problems that could be created," Johnson said.
Johnson says 100% of Evansville's water comes from the Ohio River, so they will be closely monitoring the algae levels throughout the remainder of this summer.
Copyright 2012 WFIE. All rights reserved.
Evansville water officials say they are doing everything to keep the water safe to drink.
