By Gary Pitts/Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle
Clarksville, TN – Many Clarksville, Tennessee residents are noticing that their tap water tastes "earthy". Chris Lambert, water operations manager at Clarksville Gas and Water, says that a spike in algae blooms in the Cumberland River is to blame for the taste. Officials with the Environmental Protection Agency say that the water is harmless and not a pressing health concern. Water Treatment Plant supervisor Kenny Vaughan tells the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle that the taste results from a chemical released by the algae as it dies, and could eventually effect any water that is drawn from the Cumberland River, including tap water in Nashville. The algae is expected to die as cooler weather approaches, but could get worse before getting better.