Sewer smell from kitchen faucet/water

[Mike S.]

I live in a two story house with well water and septic tank. I've noticed that the water from my kitchen faucet sometimes smells like sewage. If I let the water run for a few minutes the smell usually goes away. I don't notice this smell at other faucets. I did notice something rather disturbing when I first discovered this problem. I had a party at the house and one of the upstairs bathrooms was supposed to be off limits. A few days later I noticed the sewage smell from the kitchen faucet. That's when I discovered that one of the guests had left a "deposit" in the upstairs toilet. It had been in there a few days. I can't be certain, but after some testing it appears that when "deposits" are left in that one toilet, it makes the kitchen water smell like sewage. The smell from the kitchen water smells like the toilet which is why I made the connection in the first place. I hope I'm wrong about this because I can't help but wonder what I've been drinking the last few weeks.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what is actually causing the kitchen faucet water to smell like sewage?

[ransley]

P traps stop smell, no smell can bypass water in the bottom of the trap, do you have one. When my pvc kitchen pipe gets a moldy smell I pour in bleach, do you have a disposal.

[hallerb]

smell only appears when water runs?

run fresh water in a bucket... does odor appear?

this will narrow it down to water supply or the more likely sewer part.

check under sink any leaks? a leaking trap can cause this

[Ed Pawlowski]

I'd certainly have my water tested. There are plenty of places that can do it at little or no cost. Could be some cross contamination between the septic system and the well. Until tested, I'd drink bottled water.

[Art Todesco]

Also, check to see if you have one of those terrible "air inlet valves" under the sink, instead of the tried and true vent pipe on the roof. I apparently had a defective one which left the under sink cabinet smelling pretty bad. The plumber (a new house) replaced it and it's been fine since.

[Colbyt]

I don't recall the terms but sometimes hot water contains a gas which can smell like toots.

Well water can also contain traces of sulpher at some times and not others.

I would certainly check it out but at this point I would not be overly concerned.

Colbyt

[Eric in North TX]

That was my thought, i get a little sulfur smell a few times per year. i deal with it by dumping a cup of bleach into one of the filters in the well house, & flushing the line until the bleach smell subsides. Seem to hold about 6 months.

[Steve Stone]

Are you sure this is not more of a sulfur smell rather than a sewer smell?

If it smells like sulfur it could be natural in the rock formation and might be reduced by using a simple carbon filter. If it is bacteria then you might have to shock the well with bleach.

[Jules]

Are you sure it's the water, not the sink drain? It might be there's a gas build up in the drain which is somewhow disturbed and able to pass back up the drain when the water's run. Maybe there's something up with the system and using that problem toilet is somehow sucking water out of the u-trap below your sink, allowing gases out (there's probably some form of visible vent pipe at roof height for the sewer system - check it's not blocked with leaves, rodent nests, insect nests etc.)

cheers

Jules

[hrhofmann]

I think Jules is right on. Have you tried pouring water down the drain from a big 5 gallon bucket to see if you get the same effect. If so, then it is not the water, but sewer gas in the drain that is being disturbed.

[EXT]

There is no connection between the toilet and the kitchen faucet that could cause the smell to be transferred except possibly through your well being contaminated from your septic tank or leach field. How close are they, do you know. Your party guests may have overloaded the septic tank causing the leach field to flood and cross contaminate the well. It is time to test the well and have your septic system checked out.

[Paul Oman]

have had same in similar set up. Was not sewage but bacteria in the well water (no problem for many years)

fix was an aeration system into the well water system to add oxygen into the water.....

(smell was that of 'rotten egg")

paul

[shortT]

I agree. In the mean time stop drinking the water from your faucet. What probably happened is that during the party a more then normal use of your toilet caused an overflow in the septic system that reached the well. Has nothing to do with the toilet upstairs imo.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, First question, was it always like that or just started to happen?

[nefletch]

[Iggy]

replying to Mike S., Iggy wrote: I'm surprised to see that the typical culprit wasn't included in the other answers. Normally the cause of Hot Water Supply Stink is the Water Heater. Specifically, that your Water Heater's Anode Rod needs replacement. The Anode Rod literally rots away and very commonly lends a rather disgusting smell and, sometimes, taste to the Hot Water (nothing harmful). Replace the Anode Rod as your first course of action in such a case.