9/15/2021 CBU Responds to Recent Taste and Odor Complaints, Confirms Safety of Drinking Water

9/16/2021 Water samples collected by the City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) have returned results that confirm that naturally occurring organic chemicals Geosmin and Methyl-Isoborneol (MIB) are causing the series of taste and odor complaints CBU has received since Friday, September 10 from across the service area. This taste and odor is not a health concern, but an aesthetic issue which is not uncommon for communities using lakes as their water source. In the past, it was a regular occurrence for CBU to receive these complaints throughout much of the summer and fall. These complaints are the first received since 2017, when CBU began adding powdered activated carbon (PAC) at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant.  

CBU tests drinking water multiple times each day for many different quality parameters at sites across the distribution system and at the water treatment plant to ensure the water continues to be safe to drink.  Annual water quality reports and current data are available at https://bloomington.in.gov/utilities/water-quality.

Customers who have further questions should contact CBU’s water quality team. The 24-hour line is 812-339-1444 or customers can send an alert through the uReport system at bloomington.in.gov/ureport. 

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BOIL WATER ADVISORIES: None at this time. 

Precautionary Boil Water Advisory for Sunset/Park Sq lifted 8/19/2021.

Precautionary Boil Water Advisory for 7th/Waldron/Fairview lifted 9/7/2021. 

Boil all water used for drinking, cooking, and oral hygiene for at least 5 minutes prior to consumption. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) requires all public water systems to issue a Boil Water Advisory when the pressure drops below 20 psi in the water main. Water main breaks or maintenance often require the water pressure be turned off. When this happens, affected customers are on a precautionary boil water advisory until water samples with clear results are returned from the lab. Those affected should follow the instructions below:  

• Immediately after your normal water pressure is restored, run COLD water from a sink or tub until clear water flows from the faucet.
• It is not necessary to boil water for other uses.

Customers who have signed up for the Monroe County Alert will be alerted directly. If you have not signed up for the Monroe County Alert, you may do so at www.co.monroe.in.us and click “Resident Alert Sign Up”. This tool enables CBU and other government offices to provide you with critical information quickly, including tornado warnings and advisories about road closures, missing persons, and evacuations that are specific to your address or the county as a whole. You may register to receive time sensitive messages, via text, email, or home phone, and you may select what types of alerts you would like to receive. Alternatively, CBU customers may refer on this site for a list of specific addresses affected. 

COVID-19 Information: 

Following the Center of Disease Control (CDC) recommendations to maintain physical distance between people to avoid transmission of the COVID-19 virus, the CBU Customer Service Center closed walk-in hours starting March 2020. There are several easy ways to contact customer service representatives. Connect with us at (812) 349-3930 or utilities.cs@bloomington.in.gov Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., or after hours at (812) 339-1444.

Several options for CBU bill payments and assistance are available:

• Customers can pay their monthly bill by debit or credit card over the telephone by calling (812) 349-3930.
• You can also pay online at https://bloomington.in.gov/utilities/pay-bill  and log on with your username and password. Have your account number from your bill and the name on the account handy.
• The automatic payment system, Aquapay, remains unaffected.  
• As always, customers can pay by Check, Money Order, or cash without coming into our office. Attach your payment to the top portion of the City of Bloomington Utility bill and mail or drop off at our foyer at 600 E Miller Dr. Bloomington IN 47401. Making change will not be an option, so any over or underpayment will be reflected on your next CBU bill.

If you are experiencing financial hardship please reach out to us! We have several tools available to help customers facing financial challenges, including payment plans and direct financial assistance. Contact Customer Service at (812) 349-3930 or utilities.cs@bloomington.in.gov Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., or after hours at (812) 339-1444. CBU has resumed water shutoffs on delinquent accounts, so if you are having difficulties please reach out and let our customer service team assist you as soon as possible. We are available to help customers manage their utility bill through these challenging times. Customers should pay what they can to avoid building up a large balance that will be harder to pay off later.

Follow CBU on facebook @BloomingtonUtilities for updates and further information about water, wastewater, and stormwater. 

For Smart Water Meter information, go here.