Bad smelling water in the summer

[Copymutt]

Looking for a fix to my bad smelling water in the garage. First we have the best tasting well water I've ever had and it's plentiful a 12 gpm recovery.
This odor, decomposition smell only happens in the garage cold water and no where else in the home and it's only in the heat of the summer and goes away after a gallon or two flush out.
Water line is 3/4 PVC underground, stubbed up in The north exterior wall. Faucet is new this year.
I think something in the water starts to rot or break down in our 90 degree heat.
Maybe I could shut off the main supply, attach a bleach solution to the faucet and open a hose spigot which should siphon the bleach into the faucet cold line.
Does anyone have other ideas please?
Jim

 

[Corndoggeh]

Out of curiosity, is there a charcoal filter on this line?

Had this happen with the water line that goes to the fridge, and only that line. Try testing for VOC's.

 

[redmondjp]

I'd test your water - maybe bacteria is growing in the stagnant, warm water sitting in the pipe for awhile.

 

[OzarkMan]

Ours smells like sea water in the summer too. Phoenix AZ. I think its the same water as you have since we get it from the CO River.

 

[Copymutt]

No charcoal filter, but that's a thought. I do think it's bacteria judging from the smell. That's what led me to the bleach treatment. As it's not happening in any other faucets it's probably right in the wall.
Thanks everybody,
Jim

 

[dfiler2]

You can use a small pump up sprayer like this, put a 50/50 bleach solution in it, make an adapter for the first connection after the line comes in and pump the lines full with the solution and let it set for 24 hours or so and then flush well. It's possible that the problem is in the other direction so if this doesn't take care of it just go the opposite way. Some of that bacteria is really tough, this happened to me a few years ago at the cabin, after using this method it has not come back.

 

[TractorJeff]

What color is the 3/4 pvc?
Some of it is no longer rated for drinking water as it breaks down over time.
After all you did say garage line only, not whole house!

 

[Chaznsc]

Sounds like a line issue to me.

 

[ct03911]

My garage water line also smelled bad initially.
My cold line from the house to garage is about 40’ and was in place with the detached garage foundation for some years before I built the garage.
When I first ran the water it smelled and I asked the plumber about it.
I was considering the bleach deal.
He said it would clear up, and it did.
Not sure how long your cold line was in place before using it but perhaps it’s a similar deal.
If you can work out the bleach siphon deal, I’d do it.
If that becomes too hard, perhaps it will clear with use.
I had a drain installed in my main home where the cold line runs to the garage.
I had it put in just in case we lost power and heat to the detached garage, so I could clear the water lines.
It would also have made siphoning a bleach mix from the garage sink to the main home easy.
Never had to try that tho.

 

[bad_idea]

How often do you use the line? Being a well, do you have any kind of chlorine added to the water before going through the house?

Sounds like bacteria is growing in the stagnant line. I would suggest you investigate some sort of chlorinator for the line running to the garage. I install them on Navy ships, but I am sure they make a unit for home use. A chlorinator or a brominator (bromine injector).

The free option would be to run the faucet daily for a period of time long enough to run fresh water through the whole line. Don't give the bacteria time to grow.