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What's it all about ... algae? I have had a bird aviary where I keep exotic birds, and an automatic watering system which gives them fresh water. When I clean the water container every two or three days I find a slick slime on the inside. Is this caused by some kind of bacteria? How can one get rid of it inexpensively? -- Robert J., Medford Don't worry, Robert, it's safe for you -- and your birds -- to keep drinking the water. We took your question to the folks at Grange Co-op, where they know about water and critters. Dana Childers at the Central Point store says the slime you describe sounds like the first stage of a crop of algae. "If you let it go long enough," she said, "it would probably turn to algae." The algae wouldn't necessarily be a health hazard, but you probably wouldn't want to be drinking water that had been standing around long enough to grow algae. You could change the water more frequently, or rinse the reservoir with a diluted bleach solution. As a Medford resident, your water comes from Big Butte Springs, the water source operated by the Medford Water Commission for Medford and surrounding communities. Water commission spokeswoman Laura Hodnett says the water is treated with chlorine to ensure its purity when it reaches your tap. Without some chemical testing, Hodnett says it's impossible to say what might be sliming in your birds' water tank. Birds generally don't observe the same sanitary rules that humans follow, so it's possible they may be contaminating their water. But she says there's no need for concern about contamination when you turn on the tap. Send your questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; or by fax to (541) 776-4376; or by e-mail to: [email protected] Please include your name, address and phone number for verification. Today's News Index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA