Water Odor Issues – What’s an Issue, and What’s Safe?

From time to time, you may notice an odor coming from your home’s water. Water odors can be indicative of certain conditions, but are not always a cause for concern. Indiana American Water wants all customers to be confident in their water quality – we’ve detailed some common water odors below and what they may mean for your household.

Common Water Odors and Causes

• Mustiness- When water sits in piping or an appliance for a long period, you may smell, or even taste, mustiness in the water. This water is safe to consume, but if the odor bothers you, flush your taps to clear the “stale” water from the lines.
• Rotten eggs- Water held in a poorly maintained water heater can pick up a rotten egg smell. The water obtains this odor when the hot water tank has not been flushed regularly. It is likely you’ll only notice the smell in hot water, rather than cold. Flush your hot water tank per the manufacturer’s instructions to clean the holding tank and remove the odor.
• Sewage- Often, drain smells can give the impression of your home’s water smelling foul. If you think you smell sewage or other foul odors in your water, fill up a glass and move away from drains. Smell the water to see if you notice the odor – if not, you could have a plumbing issue in your home that needs to be remedied. If your water still smells of sewage, do not consume it and contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-492-8373.

Indiana American Water is committed to delivering quality water to every Hoosier home we serve. If you have concerns about a water odor, please don’t hesitate to contact us. To learn more about potential causes of unusual tastes and odors in your tap water, visit us online at http://bit.ly/2Albt7x.