Our son recently moved into a condo in a hi-rise. We helped him paint the interior the first week, and washed our painting tools in the kitchen sink, as well as dumping several cups of spilled latex paint down the sink. I took care to wash it all out, running a lot of water down the sink. The water from the kitchen faucet tasted fine all that week. It is a single sink with disposal and he also has a dishwasher. We presume all are hooked up together.

The second week of living there he noticed that the water from the kitchen faucet had a moldy smell. It does not seem to be the disposal itself since he can wash his hands, go into another room and still smell that bad smell on his hands. The water at his bathroom sink and shower taste fine. What could be causing actual water from just one sink in his condo to taste revolting? Is it the faucet? The spray attachment is the spigot nozzle -- you slide the nozzle out of the faucet base to use the spray attachment. Is dirty water backing up from the disposal or dishwasher somehow? Is it the faucet? This is very weird. Should he call a plumber, get a water testing kit (where?), or what?

FWIW, I have noticed that the cold water tap in our house here in the UK seems to hold a fungal 'gel' just inside the outlet. Try cleaning it with a 'bottle-brush' - or even a pre-historic tooth-brush. Basically, anything that will loosen any loosely-held sediment in your tap/faucet.

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What could be causing actual water from just one sink in his condo to taste revolting? Is it the faucet? The spray attachment is the spigot nozzle -- you slide the nozzle out of the faucet base to use the spray attachment. Is dirty water backing up from the disposal or dishwasher somehow? Is it the faucet? This is very weird. Should he call a plumber, get a water testing kit (where?), or what?

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My first guess would be bacteria. Cleaning your paint brushes would not affect incoming potable water.
Let's stop it before it spreads. Remove the aerator, (see image) and soak it in bleach. Does the water still smell with the aerator off? (I have to know this) Back to you, Tom

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Originally Posted by speedball1

My first guess would be bacteria. Cleaning your paint brushes would not affect incoming potable water.
Let's stop it before it spreads. Remove the aerator, (see image) and soak it in bleach. Does the water still smell with the aerator off? (I have to know this) Back to you, Tom

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Our son took apart his sink nozzle and put all the parts in bleach and let them soak. He rinsed well, reassembled it all, ran a good bit of water for five minutes, and voilà, no more smell. I am surprised he actually took the thing apart and reassembled it correctly since he's never done anything like that before. So it looks like your advice worked. Thank you so much! Austenfan :D

You're werlcome! If the smell returns he'll have to do the same with the cartridge and the valve body. Let's hope it's gone for good. Good luck, Tom