If you've noticed your water tastes or smells different, this is why

TRC water director Bruce Logan said council had altered the percentage of water supplied to the Calala water treatment plant and any changes to the water's complexion would "settle down after about a week or so".

"Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal get their water from three sources - Chaffey dam, Dungowan dam and the drift wells," Mr Logan said.

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"Obviously, we're trying to maximise our water supply and sometimes that requires us to change the percentage of water we use from each source. When we do that, the water starts to react a bit differently.

"Water treatment plants don't like change, they very much like the same old, same old."

Mr Logan said the chemical composition and biomatter was different for each water source.

"It's not a set and forget process unfortunately, we have to constantly optimise," Mr Logan said.

"Dungowan has a bit more organic matter than the other two. Sometimes Chaffey has high levels of algae, which doesn't really affect anything, but can influence the taste.

"It is important to note that it is still safe to drink and meets the all the drinking water guidelines."

Sometimes, getting the balance right is more of an art than a science.

"There is a strong science behind it, but sometimes we're not sure why the water reacts the way it does, but we get around it," Mr Logan said.

"We'll [change the water percentages] from time to time moving forward.

"We wouldn't have to do it if it wasn't so dry.

"It is certainly possible that now and again we will see a change in taste, colour and odour."

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