A spike in the Missouri River levels has caused an odd taste to the water in Jefferson City supplied by Missouri American Water, but a spokeswoman for the company said the water is safe to drink and should return to its normal taste within a day or two.
Berta Hepler - who lives on Paddlewheel Circle, not far from Missouri-American's water plant on West Main Street - first noticed the odd-tasting water Sunday evening.
"I was watching the Olympics, and I went to take a drink, and it tasted like oil," Hepler said. "I didn't think too much about it."
But when she woke up Monday morning and noticed the same problem, she decided to call Missouri-American.
"That's not good," she said. "I'm not sure if it's really dangerous or just yucky."
Ann Detmer, Missouri American Water spokeswoman, said the depth of the Missouri River, which is the source of its water, jumped 7 or 8 feet in the past few days, causing the problem.
She said people with sensitive taste buds have noticed the difference, and that the company has received about 10 calls about the issue.
"The water is perfectly fine to drink. There are no issues with the quality," she said. "We think people who have noticed the change will come back to the kind of water they're used to in the next day or two."
She said the company conducts about 60 tests daily on the water. In the past few days, they've increased that number and made adjustments to the treatment process.