PRESS RELEASE: Customers Notice Different Taste and Odor in Moorhead Water

For Immediate Release on Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Moorhead Public Service (MPS) is aware that some customers have raised questions regarding taste and odor issues in their drinking water. Recent warm weather has caused much of the area’s snowpack to melt rapidly, with runoff flowing into the Red River. Snowmelt water flows over the land surface, it picks up organic matter, debris, and naturally occurring taste and odor compounds, which are then carried into the Red River.

MPS began blending well water with the poor-quality Red River water and adjusting the ozone disinfection system before this event occurred. On Saturday, February 14, MPS began receiving questions from customers about a different taste and odor in their drinking water. At that time, MPS further adjusted its ozone disinfection system to improve the water’s aesthetic quality. As of Tuesday, February 17, MPS’s Water Treatment Plant staff continues to address these taste and odor concerns and will resolve them as quickly as possible.

Staff has confirmed that the drinking water remains safe for customer use and continues to meet and exceed all State and Federal safety standards. Although taste and odor issues may be troublesome aesthetically, they do not pose any health or safety concerns.

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Please contact the following individual for more information regarding this press release:

Marc Pritchard, Water Plant Manager

Travis L. Schmidt, General Manager

Moorhead Public Service

Phone: 218.477.8000

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Moorhead Public Service, 2901 South Frontage Road, Suite 2, P.O. Box 779, Moorhead, MN 56561-0779 ♦ 218.477.8000, Option 4

Providing safe and reliable electricity and water to the community of Moorhead since 1895.

For information about Moorhead Public Service, visit our website at www.mpsutility.com.

Receive updates from Moorhead Public Service at www.twitter.com/mpsutility or www.facebook.com/mpsutility.

The graph below shows the current electric grid conditions in the Southwest Power Pool footprint for Moorhead Public Service:

There are two types of energy alerts that will be communicated to Moorhead Public Service (MPS) customers during an energy alert or if controlled outages are necessary:

1. Energy Alert:  This is the level where MPS will issue a public appeal to reduce energy.

2. Energy Emergency:  This is the level where MPS will start controlled outages (rolling blackouts).   

For more information on current grid conditions in the Southwest Power Pool footprint, please visit https://www.spp.org/markets-operations/current-grid-conditions/

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a map that is updated each Thursday to show the location and intensity of drought across the state of Minnesota. Visit www.drought.gov/states/Minnesota for more information and to view weekly updates.

To view currrent levels of the Red River, please visit   https://water.weather.gov/resources/hydrographs/fgon8_hg.png

Moorhead Public Service (MPS) purchases the power you use everyday from outside resources. Despite recent increases in cost, these resources have proven to be the least cost for customers.

Moorhead Public Service offers rebates for your home and business. The Bright Energy Solutions® program helps you save money, improve comfort, and protect the environment.

For more information on rebates that Moorhead Public Service offers visit https://www.brightenergysolutions.com/municipalities-container/mn/moorhead-public-service/