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Long Beach Residents Complain Of Foul Odor In Tap Water

LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) — Residents in Long Beach are complaining of a foul odor coming from their water.

Officials are saying the odor is the result of a natural occurrence under the ground, involving hydrogen sulfide.

The sulfide is creating a particular odor with the local water coming out of residents' taps, and those who smell it describe it the same way.

"It's like rotten eggs, like really bad, but we haven't been able to figure out what it was," resident Rocket Reed said.

Back in February, the Water Department shut off the ground supply of water, due to the drought. Meanwhile, imported water was pumped to local homes.

Around late April, the ground water was re-introduced, and the combination is responsible for the foul odor.

"It's a transition from one type of water to another water, and their palate is all of a sudden getting a new experience, and so they're picking it up real sharply," Tai Tseng of the Long Beach Water Department said.

In all, some 50 complaints have been received, but the vast majority of homes in Long Beach have not experienced the smell.

Hydrogen sulfide occurs naturally, and the department says everything that is in the water is entirely safe.

"The levels leaving the plant (are) at 0.01 milligrams per liter, which is barely detectable by our instruments," Tseng said.

This water transition happens each Spring, and those with sensitive palates are generally the ones who notice the difference.

The department reports that the odor should dissipate within days.

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