Athens tap water is safe to drink, despite the large quantities of algae detected on the surface of the capital's main reservoir, officials said yesterday.

The Athens Water Company (EYDAP) insisted in a statement that «there is no cause for concern, not even the slightest suspicion, regarding water quality.»

EYDAP said the concentration of algae on the surface of Lake Marathon, some 33 kilometers north of Athens, which provides the city of over 4 million with most of its drinking water, was first observed a few weeks ago. However, laboratory tests have shown both the water in the artificial lake and the processed tap water to be perfectly clean.

«There is no difference either in taste or smell, or in the elements that define the water's hygienic condition,» EYDAP said, describing the algae levels as «natural.»