Hard to Drink - KAUZ-TV: Newschannel 6 Now | Wichita Falls, TX

Many of you are complaining about the city's drinking water, saying it taste like dirt. Some people are concerned about their health while others want to know when the water will return back to normal.

"I taste a difference," said Wichita Falls resident Jill King.

"Like somebody has a fish tank and they haven't cleaned it for six months!" said Mike Loyd.

"Like a dirty sock," said Eric Norris.

Eric Norris said he noticed the funky taste of the water weeks ago and an odor.

"You can smell it too," he said. "The washing machine, it makes the laundry room smell foul."

"I pay for my water here at the city and I want it to taste good," said Loyd.

Mark Southard, water source and purification superintendent, said the low lake levels of Kickapoo and Arrowhead and hot temperatures are to blame. Even though we suffered sweltering heat last year lake levels weren't as low as they are now, 48.8 percent. It's causing algae and salt in the water to come through to the plant and eventually form a taste and smell that comes through our water.

"Last week we started a treatment technique that helps to take care of some of those taste and odors that are coming in from the source water lakes," he said. "It usually takes a few days of that to work through the system before people start to notice those tastes and odors start to drop off."

He said in the next few days the water taste should return back to normal. He said it's perfectly safe to drink.

A change in water taste usually does happen during the summer when lakes turnover but city officials make it clear that this taste and odor is because of algae and salt.

Many of you are telling us you are not eating out because drinks at some restaurants have that same taste. You also say you're spending more money buying bottled water.  Click here to read your Facebook comments describing the taste of the water.

Click here to watch our latest Inside Texoma show with the Wichita Falls Water Department. Daniel Nix goes into detail on how the drought is affecting our area lakes.

Crystal Hall Newschannel 6.