We’re catching up on our mail from our vacation, so this is a bit dated, but this past Thursday Aaron wrote:
Have you or anyone you know had an issue with funky-tasting water starting yesterday (Sept 2nd)? At our house (N 53rd + Woodlawn Ave N), we starting having some “moldy-tasting” water. Unless its the pipes to our specific house, this should be something others are experiencing in the neighborhood. I’ll talk with my neighbors today to see if they have the same issue.
We tweeted the question, as well, and Nicholas responded:
Yes! The water is different! No one believed me! Something has happened. We must get to the bottom of this.
Anyone else?
I noticed it in Ballard as well.
In Lower Wallyhood, we get brownish water every once in a while. I believe the city sends a pressure pulse through the system occasionally, without notice, to clean it out. What a great plan, huh? So, keep an eye on the water, and wait ~1/2 day for it to clear up. I’d avoid washing clothes during that time, too!
If there was any work on the water line, it can stir up stuff in the lines along the way. Any new homes or work in the street lately?
Didn’t notice anything on Latona.
I don’t drink from the tap anymore in my building in Lower Wallingford. Just brushing my teeth with it is kind of funky. I think it’s our old pipes. I haven’t noticed any recent changes — but I too get a rust/brownish color for a few hours at a time every now & then.
Seattle water comes from two different sources – the Cedar River (Chester Morse Lake), and the Tolt River. The two sources taste a bit different, and sometimes the switch between them is noticeable. SPU switches based on demand, and on the need to keep lots of water in the rivers for fish passage, and perhaps on the need to do maintenance on water mains. SPU would probably happily provide more details.
Did anyone find out more about this? I just noticed that our water tastes funky, too. Or am I just imagining it now that I’ve read this?
I’ve been complaining about it for the past week too. I believe it’s like Jenny said, that we’re probably noticing the switch. I asked this question before and, iirc, the Cedar River watershed gets quite low this time of year and can make for some musty smelling, but still safe, water.