Tap water in 6 SLO County communities smells ‘musty.’ Here’s why
Residents of six San Luis Obispo County cities may notice a “musty” taste or smell in their tap water — but there’s no cause for alarm.
The odor is caused by a “harmless,” naturally occurring compound called MIB, and the water is still safe to drink, according to a news release from the Department of Public Works. Standing water tends to contain more MIB during the summer, the release said.
The compound infiltrated tap water in Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, Avila Beach and Shell Beach. County staff will work to reduce the odor and taste within a week from Friday, the news release said.
Folks can call Faith Zenker at 805-781-1576 or Craig Kesler at 805-473-7176 with questions about their water quality.
This story was originally published September 3, 2022 at 9:00 AM.
