DANVILLLE (WSLS10) - Danville's water department is trying to get more money to try to figure out why the city's drinking water sometimes has an odor and tastes bad.
The department has applied for a $500,000 grant from Virginia's Department of Environmental Quality.
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The money would be used to collect monthly water samples from the Dan River for one year.
Virginia Tech would actually receive the grant, then professors and grad students would analyze the samples and report the findings.
Water Director Barry Dunkley said this testing is largely going to focus on what led to the algae bloom in the water last February.
"Definitely looking at the algae and the microbial population and also what created an optimum environment for the algae to grow," explained Dunkley.
If the city receives the grant, Dunkley says he hopes to start testing in May.