ROCKINGHAM — The city of Rockingham addressed concerns from residents regarding a “pond” taste in the city’s drinking water, attributing the issue to ongoing drought conditions across North Carolina.
In a recent release, the city explained that many municipalities and county water treatment facilities rely on surface water sources, including Roberdel Lake and City Pond, for raw water supply.
“The entire State of North Carolina is currently experiencing serious to exceptional drought conditions. The City of Rockingham like many municipalities and county water treatment facilities utilize surface water supply sources such as Roberdel Lake and City Pond for raw water,” the city stated.
According to the release, the prolonged lack of rainfall has affected the normal water treatment process by reducing water flow levels and increasing seasonal temperatures.
“Drought conditions of the current magnitude will effect normal water treatment process as water quality in raw water surface supply declines due to low water flows, increased seasonal temperatures, and required treatment of organic material naturally occurring in raw water supplies that otherwise would not be a factor with normal water flows,” the city said.
Officials said changes in the treatment process can sometimes affect the taste of the water during drought conditions.
“These changes in water treatment processes due to these factors during drought conditions can and does effect taste at times,” the city added.
The city emphasized despite the reported taste concerns, the treatment plant continues to meet all federal and state drinking water standards.
“Rockingham’s Water Treatment Plant is staffed 24/7 with competent, certified operators who maintain water treatment processes 24 hours a day. At no time has Rockingham City water failed to produce and distribute safe drinking water in accordance with all Federal and State standards,” the statement read.
The city also noted it purchases additional water from Richmond County to help meet peak demand levels.
“Rockingham in addition to providing its own water does purchase water from Richmond County in order to meet peak demands for quantity purposes. Richmond County operates a water treatment plant that like Rockingham meets or exceeds safe drinking water as well,” the city stated.
City officials concluded the statement by expressing hope for rainfall to improve drought conditions and restore more typical treatment operations.
“Hopefully, our community and state will soon receive much needed rain to alleviate the drought conditions and allow water treatment operations to return to normal,” they said.