foul smell in water?

UPDATE:

I spoke with Tracy & Bobby (Service Mgr) from Loudoun Water again, I am sorry I missunderstood (blame it on lack of sleep due to a unhappy baby) what they told me this morning.

NO TAP water and/or ice cubes for drinking (or making infant formula) or baths for infants/small children - until after the system/pumps are flushed, samples are tested - 24-48 hours or a follow up call from LW.

Adults CAN brush teeth and take showers, however if you have diarehia (sp) proceed with caution.

As of 2PM they are in Lansdowne and will be in broadlands later this afternoon - Marsh Creek, Welby, Ridgeway, Sunstone.

Sorry again for the confusion.

 

Thanks for the updates! Do you suppose the Ridgeway flushing will include Highview Trail?

 

Honestly I don't know - Tracey & Bobby gave me the street names based on the complaints from this morning.

Maybe if someone who lives on Highview calls they will also flush, but I really don't know how the water network is set up. Sorry

 

Just went to Teeters and bought Ice, emptied the ice out of the freezer. We've already begun to feel the effects (sigh) I'll be getting milk based Chai at Sbucks for the next few days...

 

this is pretty serious- people with small children or irrirtable stomachs could end up in the emergency room! i am shocked there isn't a residential alert. doesn't seem the like the same old "just pour bleach in your drains" issue as past years...

 

I live on Highview and I did call...maybe all the hydrants are connected via some means. I don't know. We'll see what happens!

 

I hope they figure out the problem and fix it fast! I haven't had any issues with it in Ashburn Village...

 

Thanks for the update. I called first thing this morning and the girl I spoke with said she'd have one of the water maintenance guys call us back. He did get back quickly and told Echoboy they'd get right on it. He said they'd flush the hydrants, I would assume that means all of them and if need be run chlorine through.

I say the more people who call and complain the better.

 

The lady I spoke with didn't indicate that she had heard of this before. She said someone would call me back, but nobody did.

 

Same here. Some lady that answered when I called yesterday morning about Marsh Creek sounded like this was new news to her, and said this guy would call us back to schedule a water sample, and no one ever called.

 

Beate Wright at Loudoun Water this morning said there is no known acute risk. If there were, their system of notifying residents is to put the announcement in the newspaper and on their website, and they are working on implementing a reverse-911 system that would send automated calls to those affected. She said the current problem is an aesthetic one (tastes/smells bad but won't make you sick) that they will be taking action to correct.

 

I have a feeling there are two separate problems here, The rotten egg smell, which I think is probably the harmless thing, and then there's the problem I'm having where anything I wash in this water has a smell that could knock you over. You wouldn't believe the rotting smell coming out of the towels after they are wet in this water and left to sit a couple hours. Is anyone else having this particular problem?

 

Yes, we do. Not only do we have the rotting egg smell, but towels that are clean and used to dry hands or wash a face stink after just one use and it's within a few hours. The smell is so bad that it lingers on your hands.

 

wow- we have the same thing with our towels lately! i tried adding baking soda to the loads, and it worked a few weekes ago, but recently i HAVE noticed the towels are all smelly. we were about to buy all new towels! i'm calling now...

 

Hey all - Sam Villegas here with Loudoun Water (aka LCSA). We're aware of the recent "fishy/muddy" odor in your water. We suspect the recent rains delivered extra organic matter to the treatment facility (owned and operated by the City of Fairfax) causing an off odor. We have alerted them to it and they are adjusting treatment as appropriate. We have also sampled for chlorine residual and bacteria. So far, we have no cause for alarm. A sulphur-like smell is something else - typically associated with decaying matter in your P-trap under the sink. Especially if it's localized (i.e., just one bathroom sink, or one faucet). A good flush with a cup of chlorine should take care of it. As long as the bacteria sampling shows us no bacteria, and there is good chlorine residual, there is no cause for alarm. This is an aesthetic issue, not a health issue, and should be fixed as soon as the treatment plant operators can adjust the carbon/treatment for the additional organics in the source water. Remember, the smell of chlorine in your water is a good thing, it means nothing is living in it. If you are still concerned about your personal water supply, call us as indicated above for a work order to sample your water. You may also call me directly to discuss or express your concern. My direct line is 571-291-7942. Customer Service is 571-291-7700.

 

Samantha,
Thank you for the update. Have a nice day!

 

Thanks Samantha- appreciate the post and information!!!

 

In addition to the "swamp thing" smell we have also had smelly towels. A few weeks ago we stopped using our old towels and bought new ones. Started adding a cup of white vinegar to the rinse water and it has helped, also gets rid of extra soap residue.

 

is vinegar more effective than baking soda? and why don't my other clothes stink?

 

Redon,

Not sure if vinegar is more effective. I do know that it removes residual soap from clothing and leaves everything smelling fresh (by the way, there is no vinegar smell). I also use it for cleaning the refrigerator, coffee maker, etc. I use a combination of baking soda and vinegar to remove coffee and tea stains from cups, cleaning out drains, etc. It's a great all around cleaner.

I'm also not sure why other things are not smelly. Maybe it's because towels are so absorbable, they hold in the odor more. I have really noticed it with my dish towels and cloths.

I'm curious to know if those with smelly towels have top or front load washers? We have a top load, which uses more water than the front load.