Across Stockton this week, residents say turning on the tap has turned into a nose pinch. Neighbors are reporting water that smells like everything from fish tanks and mildew to sewage, and many say the odor just will not quit. City officials and the local water company insist that lab tests show the supply still meets health standards, even as crews scramble to flush out the smell.
What officials say
The utility that serves parts of Stockton, along with the city, is tying the sudden change in taste and odor to a seasonal switch in the wholesale water supply. The treated water continues to meet all federal and state safety standards, according to a notice from California Water Service.
In that notice, Cal Water says crews have been collecting samples from across the distribution system and that bacteriological tests have returned clean results, with no bacteria detected. To help clear the lines, the company reports it is doing additional flushing and leaning more on groundwater. Officials also advise residents to pour tap water into an open pitcher and refrigerate it to let odors dissipate, and they list a customer line for anyone still dealing with funky taps.
Voices in the city
On neighborhood Facebook pages and community threads, Stockton residents have been trading stories and some fairly vivid descriptions, with people across both North and South Stockton complaining that the tap water smells like “moldy dish water” or a “fish tank,” as documented by Stocktonia.
Some taps briefly showed discoloration once crews started flushing mains in response to complaints, according to an article originally published in The Stockton Record. In a video segment from CBS Sacramento, residents said the odor was still hanging around even after officials declared the water safe to drink.
What is behind the smell
Cal Water officials told reporters that when water from different sources is blended, its taste or odor can shift because each source has its own “unique chemistry, organic content, minerals, and biological activity,” an explanation relayed in reporting by SFGATE.
Scientists and regulators say that earthy or musty smells in drinking water often come from naturally occurring compounds such as geosmin and 2‑methylisoborneol. People can detect these at very low concentrations, and they are not generally associated with health risks, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
How long and what is next
In yesterday's update, Cal Water said crews were still flushing the distribution system and that bacteriological tests remained clean. Tests of secondary maximum contaminant levels (SMCLs) were also below thresholds as crews worked to turn over the system, according to the company’s notice.
Customers who continue to notice odor are being told they can refrigerate an open pitcher of tap water, run taps until the water clears before doing laundry or cooking, and contact the utility at 209‑547‑7900 or the city at 209‑937‑8762 if problems persist.
Taste‑and‑odor events like this tend to spike when surface water sources change with the seasons. While the smell is unpleasant, it usually reflects aesthetic compounds rather than contaminants that pose a health risk. If the odor persists or you have health concerns, public‑health officials recommend using filtered or bottled water for drinking and contacting your water provider for follow‑up testing.
