LAREDO — Laredo Utilities staff told the advisory committee that an increase in summer complaints about musky odor and taste in tap water is linked to MIB, a compound associated with blue-green algae, and outlined near-term treatment upgrades to address the problem.

“It's called MIB. It's a fingerprint of blue green algae in the river,” Dr. G said during the meeting, explaining why customers reported a musky smell and taste. The department said algae blooms increase in hot, slow river conditions and that the city’s existing treatment trains do not fully remove the compounds that produce the odor.

To address the issue, staff said they are finishing installation of a chlorine dioxide unit and expect it to be operational by March 2026. Dr. G described the unit as a near‑term fix for odor and taste. Staff also said they are evaluating activated carbon filtration and other technologies as next-step options to remove MIB and similar compounds; the goal is to eliminate noticeable odor and taste within about a year.

Why it matters: Taste-and-odor events affect public confidence in tap water and prompt increased customer calls; staff reported roughly 300 customer calls about odor and taste during the initial period described in the briefing. Committee members asked for progress updates and staff said they will return with implementation timelines as installations and testing proceed.

No formal vote was taken; staff requested continued committee engagement while treatment work continues.