08/31/2026
CITY OF MOUNT AIRY WATER UPDATE: The City continues to test the water daily and has also sent water samples to an independent private laboratory for additional verification. City staff remains in communication with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) regarding the situation.
Please be assured that the water distributed through the City of Mount Airy water system remains safe for human consumption. The City's treated water is routinely tested for chlorine, turbidity, pH, and other required water-quality parameters to ensure compliance with applicable federal and state drinking water standards. We are still receiving “earthy taste and odor” complaints, so this week we began adding more activated carbon to the treatment process. Also, we are now operating the City’s back-up water plant (that pulls water from a different source) to aid in the distribution of the water. City staff will continue monitoring the system, adjusting the treatment process as necessary, testing water throughout the distribution system, and flushing hydrants in affected areas. While the treatment process removes the algae, these taste- and odor-causing compounds can be more difficult to remove completely. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank your for your patience.
