Yardley Area Water's Chlorine Taste Explained

YARDLEY, PA — Residents of the Yardley area who have noticed a chlorine smell or taste to their water lately may have rainy fall weather to blame.

This week, several Patch readers from the Yardley area shared Neighbor Posts saying they'd noticed what they called a chemical-type smell and taste.

On Thursday, a spokeswoman from Pennsylvania American Water said that's likely due to a temporary increase in the chlorine levels in the local water supply.

"It’s common for surface water plants like Yardley to have higher organic levels in the fall after significant rain events," said Pennsylvania American Water spokeswoman Maggie Sheely. "We see a lot of leaves, etc. We compensate by temporarily increasing chlorine feeds for improved oxidation of the compounds."

Sheely said upping the chlorine can slightly affect taste and smell of water. The water remains safe to drink, cook with and bathe in.