The Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority thoroughly understands the importance of maintaining access to clean, safe drinking water for our community. We are committed to ensuring the water we deliver to our customers’ taps meets and exceeds federal and state water safety guidelines. When the water you rely on tastes or smells differently than expected, it’s understandable that you may have some valid questions about its quality and safety. In light of recent, sporadic instances of customers detecting an earthy or musty scent coming from their tap water, we would like to assure residents that our water continues to be healthy and safe to drink.  

The earthy, musty scent some customers have detected is a known, though uncommon, occurrence that can happen this time of year. Seasonal biological changes in the Allegheny River, which typically occur in the late summer and early autumn, can lead to temporary changes in the scent or overall aesthetics of our water, even after it’s gone through our extensive filtration and treatment process. These seasonal changes, which can range from algae blooms to other biological phenomena, do not affect the safety of the water delivered to your tap, whether or not an unfamiliar scent or taste is detectable. We are aware that other water utilities in the area have received similar reports from their customers. As water temperatures in the Allegheny continue to drop over the coming weeks, we expect any residual scent to dissipate. 

Our water quality team and laboratory partners run frequent tests on samples collected from our Water Treatment Plant and from various points throughout our water distribution system. At this time, we have detected no cause for concern, and we have no indication that this will change. As always, our team remains poised to alert any and all affected customers in a timely manner if water quality conditions change or the need for additional precautions arise.  

For now, if you experience an unexpected scent or taste in your water, there are a few steps you can take to alleviate this. Simply filling a pitcher and placing it in your refrigerator to cool will reduce the water’s temperature enough to eliminate that musty scent. Some residents also utilize a tap or pitcher-based filter to improve the taste and scent of their drinking water. While this is a personal preference, we would also like to reiterate that it is not necessary – the water delivered to your tap is perfectly safe to drink without additional filtration. 

To report unexpected tastes or odors in your drinking water, please call our 24/7 Emergency Dispatch at (412) 255-2423, press 1. 

Geosmin and Methylisoborneol

Geosmin and Methylisoborneol (MIB) are harmless, naturally occurring compounds produced by bacteria in soil and algae found in surface water (lakes, rivers, streams, dams). They can produce an earthy, musty-type odor/taste, like that of overturned rich soils, and are present in foods such as beets, spinach, and mushrooms. Geosmin and MIB are NOT the result of pollution or contamination of our source waters and is not a result of a failure of treatment processes. It occurs through a natural process.