Rethinking Taste and Odor in Drinking Water: From Obstacle to Opportunity

For policy makers, water managers, and others seeking to promote equitable access to municipal drinking water and reduce the environmental impact of bottled water consumption, the presence of unwanted tastes and smells found in municipal drinking water present challenges. In this seminar, Christy Spackman (ASU) and Susheera Pochiraju (Hazen and Sawyer; AWWA Taste and Odor committee) outline approaches to using the presence of environmental tastes and smells in municipal water as a community-engagement opportunity. After briefly reviewing the history of taste and smell management in municipal drinking water in the U.S., participants will learn about current approaches being used to enroll local inhabitants in recognizing the unique aspects (the "terroir") of their local water. Tastes and smells in drinking water are not just policy obstacles; they are also opportunities.

Host or Publisher CSPO in DC