This category covers two very different situations — one that's typically harmless and natural, and one that water professionals treat as worth acting on right away. The two questions below tell them apart.
Causes and what people typically do are based on published guidance from the EPA and state drinking-water programs, not guesses. The zip lookup pulls from EPA's public violation records (SDWIS) and a utility's own water quality report, hand-checked utility by utility rather than scraped.
This tool provides general information based on published EPA and utility data, and common causes reported by water quality professionals. It is not a substitute for laboratory water testing, a licensed plumber's assessment, or guidance from your water utility or local health department. WaterCheck does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided and is not liable for decisions made based on it.
It depends on which one. A chemical or fuel-like smell is one water professionals treat as worth immediate attention, since it can be associated with fuel runoff or industrial contamination. A fishy or algae-like smell is usually natural — similar to a musty smell but stronger — and typically not a safety concern.
That's treated as worth acting on right away — many people set the water aside and contact their water utility or local health department to have it checked before using it again.
This is usually natural — organic compounds or algae byproducts, similar to what causes a musty smell but stronger. A carbon filter typically helps, and it's worth mentioning to your utility if it's new.
Given the possible source, this isn't a filter-first situation — many people avoid using the water and reach out to their utility or local health department first.
Cities where I've read the utility's water quality report and EPA record by hand: