TYLER, Texas — Tyler Water Utilities and HDR Engineering, Inc. were approved to begin phase two of testing Lake Palestine's taste and water odor Wednesday, after city council approved a $1.75 million contract.
Phase one of the study assessed the Lake Palestine Water Treatment Plant's performance, and determined target standards for the water produced. The second phase of the project will focus on finding ways to filter out geosmin from the drinking water produced from Lake Palestine to better the taste and odor.
The lake produces a high level of geosmin, an organic and earthy smelling compound, that is easily detectable by humans. The Lake Palestine plant typically removes 95 percent of geosmin from the drinking water, and is looking to improve the amount by the time the phase is finished in 2026.
The water currently produced by the plant is safe to drink and meets federal and state water standards.