LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It's the question inundating the WDRB newsroom on Tuesday, and it comes from every corner of Jefferson County: What's that smell?

Callers, viewers and even our own employees describe it as everything from rotten eggs to sulfur and a few words we can't repeat. But MSD confirms to WDRB that the cause of the odor is sewer gas odor trapped in catch basins, which is caused by a lack of rain.

There are nearly 70,000 catch basins across Louisville where water enters and goes into the sewer system. Because there hasn't been much rain, it traps the odor.

"Imagine that U-shaped pipe under the sink in your bathroom," says Sheryl Lauder, Strategic Communications Manager for Louisville MSD. "When it has water in it, it keeps the odor out. This is the same thing on a bigger scale."

The smells happen most often in areas with aging infrastructure, like downtown Louisville, NuLu and the Highlands. It's a common occurrence this time of year, one MSD is working to resolve. The best thing to do if you catch a whiff, Lauder says, is to report it. There are three ways:

  • Call MSD at 502-540-6000
  • Report it online: Odor Control | MSD 
  • Report it through the "Smell MyCity" app

Lauder said reporting odors across the city will let MSD know where the catch basins are dry so that crews can add water and dissolve the smell. The agency is also working on a long-term solution for ridding the city of the smelly problem, and reports submitted now will help plan for the future.

Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.