The city of Pointe-Claire issued a statement to local residents Wednesday, saying the “earthy” taste and unusual odour emitted by their tap water is due to the increased presence of algae in the St. Lawrence River and does not represent a danger to the public’s health. Noting that “a slightly different odour and taste might be noticed in the drinking water coming from the city of Montreal’s Pointe-Claire water production plant,” the municipality explained that such situations occur “during summer and fall and are due to algae in the river.”