From 1992 to 1993, the source water‐related taste and odor complaints received by the Chicago Department of Water rose abruptly and dramatically, persisting through the end of 1995. Before making major expenditures to modify treatment plants to remove the objectionable tastes and odors more efficiently, the department decided to conduct a study to identify the causes and potential longevity of the problem. Results of the study pointed to zebra mussels as culprits in a complex series of events. This article discusses the process by which zebra mussels were identified and how they inflicted major ecological change on the Great Lakes.
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