# Has anyone else's Chicago tap water smelled funny this weekend? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-elses-chicago-tap-water-smelled-funny-this-weekend/581980 "2011-05-15T13:40:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_famous_burrito/32/3954_2.png) [@El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Famous_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-elses-chicago-tap-water-smelled-funny-this-weekend/581980/1 "2011-05-15T13:40:16Z")
I live in Chicago proper, and I typically really like the tap water here. Since early Saturday morning (5/14), however, our tap water has given off a bad odor. I think it smells gassy, perhaps even with hints of cannabis odor. This is happening at all water fixtures in my place. The water does not taste any different, I don’t think, although it can be a little tough to tell since the senses of taste and smell are so linked. The water’s appearance is unchanged. This thread… > **[Why does my tap water smell?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=558537)** > > I first noticed this last year, and again just recently. My tap water seems to have this pungent, chemical-like smell. The crazy thing is that the water at my office also smells the same. I live in NJ and work in NY, so I’m guessing there must be... …gives some ideas as to why tap water might suddenly change in smell. But I don’t know if this is city-wide or just in my apartment building. I don’t want to ring up the landlord if it’s not under his purview. So… anyone else in the city have a similar experience this weekend? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-elses-chicago-tap-water-smelled-funny-this-weekend/581980/2 "2011-05-15T13:58:00Z")
Water’s been fine at my place in Irving Park. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-elses-chicago-tap-water-smelled-funny-this-weekend/581980/3 "2011-05-15T14:24:26Z")
Nothing changed here in Lincoln Park. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-elses-chicago-tap-water-smelled-funny-this-weekend/581980/4 "2011-05-15T20:27:30Z")
I’m in the suburbs, but no water problem here. Frankly, when I did live in a city apartment, if my water went “funny,” my FIRST assumption would be that it was the building. Something Chicago-wide, or even affecting an entire neighborhood, would surely have made the front page or been a news alert? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_famous_burrito/32/3954_2.png) [@El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Famous_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-elses-chicago-tap-water-smelled-funny-this-weekend/581980/5 "2011-05-16T04:26:50Z")
Thanks for the reports. A small poll of nearby friends also turned up negative. I guess it was the building? Anyway, the smell faded throughout Sunday and now, by nightfall, is no longer present. I’m feeling no ill effects, so I guess I’ll just chalk it up as a one-off event. Regardless, I can go back to enjoying some of the tastiest municipal water in the region! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-elses-chicago-tap-water-smelled-funny-this-weekend/581980/6 "2011-05-16T14:48:58Z")
Just to be safe, you should stick to vodka for a few days. ---
**Author:** ![whatupnate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eb9ed0/32.png) [@whatupnate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatupnate)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-elses-chicago-tap-water-smelled-funny-this-weekend/581980/7 "2012-01-11T17:34:55Z")
I live in wrigleyville and ever since last week our water has been smelling like grapefruit or something funky. i also noticed it at a local ymca drinking fountain…not sure what is causing it, but im glad to hear there are others noticing it. I hope its nothing serious! ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-elses-chicago-tap-water-smelled-funny-this-weekend/581980/8 "2012-02-02T06:21:12Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Just to be safe, you should stick to vodka for a few days. Be careful, vodka will go bad if once it’s opened. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-elses-chicago-tap-water-smelled-funny-this-weekend/581980/9 "2012-02-02T07:31:40Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Be careful, vodka will go bad if once it’s opened. Agreed. That’s why I always try to finish a bottle within 24 hours of opening it.