Water smells like bleach/chlorine

[bubba1]

Water at the condo recently a started to have a chlorine/bleach smell. Anyone else experienced this before?

[lopburi3]

This has something to do with Fat? Often treatment material is increased during times when water is at its worse - and water quality should be about at its worse most places at this time due very low levels in supply and new water going into supply will be full of farm runoff until levels get back up.

[tominbkk]

I've noticed our water has the same smell as well ove the past several days.. Definitely a checmical scent.

[Sheryl]

Moved to General forum

[pmarlin]

I moved out of a condo back in Feb 2016 that had that problem. It was in the drain, Every time the swimming pool was drained that smell was in the plumbing. After several complaints and no fix got my deposit back and moved for safety reasons. Condo was located on Soi 18 Sukhumvit.

[MJCM]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/594890-english-pattaya-condo-manager-accused-of-contaminating-water-supply-with-bleach/

[Crossy]

I have noticed recently that our village water (Pathum Thani treatment plant is about 500m away) smells strongly of chlorine, even stronger than our pool.

I suspect L3 is correct and it's in response to low levels / poor incoming water quality.

With luck the recent rain will get things back to normal before the flooding starts.

[lostmebike]

From what I've heard, quite a common practice here in LOS.

[mike324]

they add chlorine at water treatment plants....

[csabo]

FYI with regards to pools and presumably other chlorinated water, a scent of chlorine actually indicates a low chlorine level as opposed to over chlorination. Very common misconception.

[whaleboneman]

FYI with regards to pools and presumably other chlorinated water, a scent of chlorine actually indicates a low chlorine level as opposed to over chlorination. Very common misconception.

Perhaps you presume too much.

[TKDfella]

Yes I have experienced this and there could be several reasons, all chemical. @csabo is incorrect. A strong chlorine odour is indicative of over-chlorination but it might be caused by other chemicals in the water too. I don't know what chemicals are used in Thai systems but it is probably a bleach mixture Sodium Hypochlorite or perhaps the powder Calcium Hypochlorite. However, other chemicals can be used (such as Chloramine or even Chlorine gas) but are more expensive so probably the former are used here in Thailand. Bleach solution is a strong oxidising agent and can kill most pathogens. If there is a risk of higher concentration of pathogens then the dosage to water is probably increased especially in hot humid climates.

[Kabula]

I moved out of a condo back in Feb 2016 that had that problem. It was in the drain, Every time the swimming pool was drained that smell was in the plumbing. After several complaints and no fix got my deposit back and moved for safety reasons. Condo was located on Soi 18 Sukhumvit.

v

PCV pipes do retain the odor longer and do collect more fungus. Perhaps the fungus acts as a chemical sponge. Most pipes in Thailand are plastic, PCV or similar.

[MJCM]

I moved out of a condo back in Feb 2016 that had that problem. It was in the drain, Every time the swimming pool was drained that smell was in the plumbing. After several complaints and no fix got my deposit back and moved for safety reasons. Condo was located on Soi 18 Sukhumvit.

v

PCV pipes do retain the odor longer and do collect more fungus. Perhaps the fungus acts as a chemical sponge. Most pipes in Thailand are plastic, PCV or similar.

So what kind of piping (for transporting water that is) do you prefer ?

[csabo]

Yes I have experienced this and there could be several reasons, all chemical. @csabo is incorrect. A strong chlorine odour is indicative of over-chlorination but it might be caused by other chemicals in the water too. I don't know what chemicals are used in Thai systems but it is probably a bleach mixture Sodium Hypochlorite or perhaps the powder Calcium Hypochlorite. However, other chemicals can be used (such as Chloramine or even Chlorine gas) but are more expensive so probably the former are used here in Thailand. Bleach solution is a strong oxidising agent and can kill most pathogens. If there is a risk of higher concentration of pathogens then the dosage to water is probably increased especially in hot humid climates.

You are wrong. Chlorine is caused by chloramines not over chlorination.

http://www.laopinion.com/2014/08/16/the-gross-reason-your-pool-smells-like-chlorine/

[The manic]

FYI with regards to pools and presumably other chlorinated water, a scent of chlorine actually indicates a low chlorine level as opposed to over chlorination. Very common misconception.

That's interstingly counter intuitive.

[The manic]

Good thread this. V informative.

[radiochaser]

I live in the United States. Public water is pumped from a local river. I frequently have a chlorine like smell here.

So, it is not just Thailand.

[TKDfella]

Yes I have experienced this and there could be several reasons, all chemical. @csabo is incorrect. A strong chlorine odour is indicative of over-chlorination but it might be caused by other chemicals in the water too. I don't know what chemicals are used in Thai systems but it is probably a bleach mixture Sodium Hypochlorite or perhaps the powder Calcium Hypochlorite. However, other chemicals can be used (such as Chloramine or even Chlorine gas) but are more expensive so probably the former are used here in Thailand. Bleach solution is a strong oxidising agent and can kill most pathogens. If there is a risk of higher concentration of pathogens then the dosage to water is probably increased especially in hot humid climates.

You are wrong. Chlorine is caused by chloramines not over chlorination.

http://www.laopinion.com/2014/08/16/the-gross-reason-your-pool-smells-like-chlorine/

@csabo wrong again! You are quoting uses of Chlorine products in swimming pools. The variables in a swimming pool are completely different to those of municipal water supply, which I assumed the OP was concerned with. Sufficient Chlorination of swimming pools depends very much on the pH value (which I think) should be around 6.5-7.0 for best results (there is a pH range). At or above pH 8 there is somewhere between 40-50% less available Chlorine. Temperature, humidity etc and can affect the amount of Chloramine (and hence the odour) produced.

The municipal water supply is a different problem. It is common practice that when the supply has to travel a long distance through the pipelines if the source were chlorinated just to be effective locally by the time the supply reaches distant locals it will have lost much of its ability to destroy pathogens. Hence the source might be over Chlorinate so that at distant locals it will have reached a minimum effective value. Also if there has been any repairs done to the line some authorities might over chlorinate at the initial return of the supply. Production of Chloramine is possible if the supply comes into contact with an agent that acts as a catalyst to produce the harmful di & trichloramine. This is not likely to happen if the supply pipes are in good condition. Because of this many authorities have strict measures to ensure safety hence another reason why Thailand might not use (mono) Chloramine (additional checks might be financially prohibitive).

The organic Chloramines (such as Chloramine T) are sometimes used (in other countries) but they can be corrosive (they are sulfonamides) but are effective in killing pathogens etc.

When chloramines come in contact with skin they can cause many problems as well as respiratory problems so I sure hope they are not in the OP's water.

[mogandave]

Draining the pool?

[bkk6060]

If you are here long enough you may experience many different water smells. If bleach maybe it was clean.

My worst ever: Staying at the JW Marriott in BKK and taking a shower the water turned black and smelled like S---. I called the front desk and was told they were working on the plumbing.

HAHA. Anyone ever have a S___ shower?

[TKDfella]

If you are here long enough you may experience many different water smells. If bleach maybe it was clean.

My worst ever: Staying at the JW Marriott in BKK and taking a shower the water turned black and smelled like S---. I called the front desk and was told they were working on the plumbing.

HAHA. Anyone ever have a S___ shower?

Classic example of 'no info'

[ozyjon]

Make sure you're not drinking the pool water.

Check the pool water levels.

[TKDfella]

Make sure you're not drinking the pool water.

Check the pool water levels.

Must admit I didn't think of that. Can pool water be diverted to the condo tank? I've never lived in a condo so I don't know what can happen.