Colleen Ozment, superintendent of the City Central Laboratory, said algae growth at Cedar Lake, the source of Carbondale’s water, has increased because of the area’s recent heat wave.

She said the water temperature at Cedar Lake is up to 87 degrees at a depth of15 feet. The normal temperature at this level is about 78 degrees.

Ozment said the city started adjusting water treatment about a week ago after daily tests at the water plant showed the increased growth.

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She said the increased algae level will not affect everyone, and some people may not notice a difference. But others may find the taste and smell unpleasant.

John Stahl, an associate zoology professor at SIUC, said most algae is not toxic and that it is pretty unlikely that there is harmful algae in the Carbondale water supply.

Ozment said most toxic varieties of algae grow in areas that are polluted and that Cedar Lake is not such an area.

Donald Tindell, an associate plant biology professor, said it is not unnatural for the algae to be in the water.

It’s a normal organism that grows in our lake and is often unnoticed until there’s excessive growth, he said.

Officials say this problem is not unique to Carbondale.

It happens from time to time in any water supply that comes from a lake or reservoir, City Manager Jeff Doherty said.

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This is not much consolation to students who notice a bad taste in the water.

It tastes bad severely bad, Tom Beshoar, a junior in forestry from Morris, said.

Ozment said the smell and taste should improve as the city adjusts treatment, but that it may be a few days before the water is back to normal because it takes one to three days for the water already in towers and pipes to be used up.

People at the water plant said it tastes better already, she said