Say it isn’t so. New York’s usually great tasting tap water might taste a little funny in the coming weeks and months.

Adam Bosch, director of public affairs for the city's water supply, said the culprits are called organic taste and odor compounds. These are tiny, harmless particles created as aquatic plants and micro-organisms grow over the summer.

"It can actually make the water taste earthy, or musty, or kind of like soil, the smell of it," Bosch said.

It's a phenomenon that occurs this time of the year, and in the past, the city's Department of Environmental Protection has been able to bring in water from different sources when this occurs. DEP has less flexibility, however, with projects underway to rehabilitate the two largest aqueducts that bring water to the city from upstate reservoirs.

"So we are stuck using some water that we might otherwise turn off because of these taste and odor compounds," said Bosch, who stressed the important things for people to understand are that the agency knows exactly where the compounds come from, that they are 100% harmless to New Yorkers' health, and that the problem is temporary.

Bosch took NY1 to one of the DEP labs where samples from the water system are tested for everything from pH and temperature to pathogens and metals. DEP tests the water 2,000 times a day throughout the system to make sure it is always 100% safe to drink.

With this new challenge, Bosch had some tips for folks who may experience this change in water taste and smell.

"You can actually fill up a pitcher with water and put it in your refrigerator overnight. That helps a little bit. Or you can actually put a squeeze of lemon in your water. That actually helps cut the taste so it's pleasant to drink”, said Bosch, who added that DEP scientists are looking into understanding better where the compounds come from, how they are created, and ultimately, how to remove them from the water.