MERIDEN, Conn. -- There's something not quite right about the water in Meriden.

Now, Meriden resident Stephen Martin and his cat are having trouble quenching their thirst.

Martin said, "It tastes awful. It tastes like a dirty bath would taste. It's really gross."

They get their water from Meriden's Broadbrook filtration plant which serves about 18,000 customers.

Late last week, an algae bloom in the reservoir set off a chemical reaction causing smelly, nasty tasting water.

Water officials said if you can get past that -- it's fine.

Residents said that the smell gets worse when you run hot water, or heat it up. Since the complaints started coming in, crews at the plant have been treating the water to bring the algae levels back down.

The other issue is the age of the plant. The director is working with the city to upgrade the facility to help prevent these naturally occouring algae blooms.

Martin said the smell is starting to go away, but he is still drinking more bottled water and relying on the water filter on his cat's water bowl.