The hot weather and drought have caused algae to grow in the water supplied to Holly Springs residents.

Although residents might notice an earthy or musty taste and smell, the water is safe to drink, according to a news release.

Holly Springs officials expect the taste and odor to improve within days. Holly Springs gets most of its water from the Harnett County water treatment plant, which is taking steps to eliminate the problem.

"We talked to the state lab this morning," Charles Fiero, Water Resources manager for Harnett County Public Utilities, said in a statement. "They seem to be having a lot of calls right now about taste and odor problems throughout the state."

The smell is most noticeable when a tap is first turned on, Fiero said.

The Harnett County plant is boosting the amount of activated carbon and aerating the water before treatment, forcing air through it to help break up compounds.