Algae smell / taste in one faucet in house

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ghostcanuck

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So I have a bit of a conundrum that I'm stuck on and hoping someone may have some advice. Lately I've been noticing an algae like smell / taste in the water from the faucets in the two sinks in our ensuite bathroom. It appears to be unique to this room in the house which is also the most frequently used. I've tried researching as much as I could, hence some of the actions I've undertook below.

For background, I am in a newer house that is connected to the municipal system that is fed by ground water. I have a whole house softener and dechlorinator installed.

1. I removed the aerator and only found a little orange chunk in there and a couple speckles of black and white sediment. There was a little clear slime on the aerator as well which I cleaned off (not sure why that is there)

2. I stuck a cue-tip into the faucet and swished it around inside to see if there was anything nasty inside. It came out with a little orange discoloration which I suspect is mineral build up in the faucet.

3. I caught a comment that sometimes a dirty drain can be the culprit. I removed the sink stopper and cleaned that off. I also poured some draino foaming cleaner down each drain to give those a cleaning.

4. Another forum advised looking into the toilet tanks to see if there was a bacteria issue. Aside from the ensuite toilet which is primarily used, the other bathrooms had a little sludge / oily texture in the water, but I suspect that is because those toilets are infruently used (a toddler in diapers and another on the way).

At this point I'm at a total loss as to what is causing the problem. Drains and aerators are clean. I dont' think it's the town water because it's only one faucet in the house. I don't think it's sitting water in the drains because these are frequently used sinks.

I appreciate any advice and help, as you can see, I've made a valiant effort to troubleshoot before asking for assistance.
 

LLigetfa

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You probably have bacteria established in the supply hoses. The plastic or rubber lining can be a breeding ground for them. A soaking in bleach would take care of it.

The same bacteria can establish in the drains. When cleaning out the drains, don't forget about the overflows.
 

Kreemoweet

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Dechlorinator? Someone went to a deal of trouble and expense to get chorine INTO the water, so that nasties couldn't grow there. Why are you
undoing that? That could be the root cause of your unpleasantness.
 

ghostcanuck

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You probably have bacteria established in the supply hoses. The plastic or rubber lining can be a breeding ground for them. A soaking in bleach would take care of it.

The same bacteria can establish in the drains. When cleaning out the drains, don't forget about the overflows.

I had feared this was the case - I may call in a pro at this point to make sure it's taken care of. With a little one expected in the future, I don't want to fool with contaminated water.

Dechlorinator? Someone went to a deal of trouble and expense to get chorine INTO the water, so that nasties couldn't grow there. Why are you
undoing that? That could be the root cause of your unpleasantness.

I appreciate the response, some municipalities use more chlorine then others, a neccessary evil to ensure we have clean drinking water. You're point is very valid, however, many people such as myself employ the systems because the chlorine in the water can irritate conditions such as asthema and eczema.
 

LLigetfa

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I had feared this was the case - I may call in a pro at this point to make sure it's taken care of. With a little one expected in the future, I don't want to fool with contaminated water.

The bacteria I speak of has not been shown to be detrimental to humans. It is all around us and we are exposed to it constantly.
 
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