At times, water can have an unpleasant odor, taste or appearance.
These aesthetic characteristics usually don’t pose a health risk and don’t usually last long. 
However, a sudden change in color, taste or odor can be alarming and may indicate a public health concern.

The first step in solving an aesthetic water quality problem is to identify whether it originates from your household plumbing or from the public water supply.

Questions to troubleshoot your water quality:

• Did it just start suddenly or has it been an ongoing issue?
• Does it occur in all faucets?
• Does it occur only when you first turn on the water or does it occur continuously?
• Does it go away after running the water for a few minutes?
• Is it noticeable in just the hot water, just the cold water or both?
• Are your neighbors experiencing the same problem?
• Do you know what type of pipes you have in your home?
• Do you have any home treatment devices? (water softener, filtration system, etc.)

The following pages list common color and odor concerns, and the most common cause.  This list is not exhaustive.

If the problem persists or if you have additional questions please contact our water utility at (509) 888-3235. 
For after-hours water emergencies please call (509) 665-2236.