Why does my water smell and taste musty?

Every year the algae in Lake Michigan go through cycles with periods of peak growth in early spring, mid-summer and again in late fall. This causes an unpleasant (but harmless) taste in the water, described as “musty”. The abundance of algae has been linked to the introduction of the zebra mussel into Lake Michigan. This mollusk is a living water filter that is native to Europe. As it feeds it removes particles from the water. The feeding of billons of zebra mussels has increased sunlight penetration that promotes growth of algae. When easterly winds prevail, these algae accumulate in the relatively shallow water in the vicinity of our intake pipes as well as those of all near-by water treatment plants. Should you notice this change, you can be confident that the water is perfectly safe to use. The taste of the water will return to normal soon after the wind direction changes. Meanwhile the flavor of the water can be improved by keeping it in an open pitcher in the refrigerator.