Taste And Odor

Taste and odor issues with drinking water stem from the presence of the organic compounds known as methylisoborneol (MIB) and geosmin. These two compounds are not harmful to human health. Rather, the presence of MIB and geosmin negatively affect the drinking water's aesthetics (geosmin causes an earthy smell, while MIB causes a musty taste). Taste and odor thresholds vary from person to person, but normally geosmin can be detected as low as 7-15 parts per trillion, while MIB can be detected as low as 20-30 parts per trillion.
Organization: City of Bloomington
Last updated: 2023-05-20T03:53:24.354539