Weird black goop coming out of plumbing...

Page 5 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Status
Not open for further replies.

sharkeeper

Lifer
Jan 13, 2001
10,886
2
0
Question: Has Verizon been drilling in that neighborhood at all, in the last few months, in order to run their FIOS service? LOTS of problems with sub-standard underground drilling contractors drilling through all kinds of utility services and water pipes, especially in Florida.

Hahaha that would be seriously screwed up! Graywater/Blackwater - hell who am I kidding in this case it would be #2! - crossing over into the potable side! :Q :Q :Q

Not too long ago in a nearby neighborhood they had a high pressure main break that crossed into a natural gas (yes natural gas!) main. The water came right through people's meters, blew out regulators and destroyed appliances. BGE told people to call their homeowners' and the insurace companies weren't so fast to respond. It was in January and people didn't have heat so it was a mess. Freakin' Baltimore County's pipes are in horrible shape.
 

Shame

Platinum Member
Dec 28, 2001
2,730
0
71
Originally posted by: episodic
Originally posted by: Shame
Originally posted by: ViRGE
Originally posted by: Shame
She called the water company (town of 160,000 or so) and left voice mail...
Hooray! After 3 weeks, it's a start.:)

Update:

Ok, two water guys from the city dropped by her place. Here is the email I got from her:

"Well, they came out and were grossed out too! They took the faucet off
and saw where it had crystallized but they tested it for chlorine and
said it tested at 2.3 or 2.4 and they keep the plant at .3. They said
if it was bacteria, it would be eating the chlorine. So, they told me
to go to Menards and get a mold kit, that it could be external and comes
around the faucets and toilets because of the moisture. I'm supposed to
let them know what I find. They did ask if we were having sinus
problems since this started and I told them yes. So..... still don't
know for sure, but at least I've got something else to try. :("

She said she was going to pick up the "mold kit" Whatever that is today. Haven't talked her, so I can't confirm.


-
If it is mold on that scale, you'll probably have to move.

I would've moved long ago! She signed another lease two months ago.
 

Shame

Platinum Member
Dec 28, 2001
2,730
0
71
Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
Wow, crazy thread, definately... call the Ghostbusters. After that, get some friends, and break out the prayer beads or something.

Btw, what are the odds that the water supply is actually *not* coming from the municipal supply, but a well? Or if the water-supply input pipes perhaps cracked, and something, like industrial wastes or something (?) might be seeping in?

I'd be buying a lot of bottled water right about now, and keeping all of the reciepts, in case one could get the landlord to re-imburse or something. (Not certain how truely feasable that might be, but it wouldn't hurt to keep them.)

Question: Has Verizon been drilling in that neighborhood at all, in the last few months, in order to run their FIOS service? LOTS of problems with sub-standard underground drilling contractors drilling through all kinds of utility services and water pipes, especially in Florida.


Don't know about Verizon... I live a 1/4 mile away and haven't noticed any drilling...

Bottled water/receipts = Not a bad idea.

Re: Municipal water: It was the water company that came out... Has to be city water...

 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,587
10,227
126
Bump for some problem resolution, and a comment on the above pic - I was washing a pot that I used to cook some pasta in earlier tonight, and a chunk of, I guess you could say "coagulated starch" from the pasta was hanging off of the sponge, and it looked very nearly just exactly like that. So if there was any pasta-cooking involved there, then I think that pic is primarily harmless. If not, I recommend you watch the movie GhostBusters II, ASAP! Perferably from a different, safer location.
 

Shame

Platinum Member
Dec 28, 2001
2,730
0
71
Ok, like the water company said, she got one of those mold kits at Menards. The instructions apparently said that if anything grew in the pitrie dish, that it should be sent in. Not surprisingly, all sort of things grew in the dish. She sent it out yesterday. I'l get a copy of whatever they send her, scan it, then post it. God only knows...
 

shilala

Lifer
Oct 5, 2004
11,437
1
76
Originally posted by: Shame
A friend of mine has some strange plumbing problems. There's this weird black goop that comes out of the faucets, grows in the toilet, and even clogs up the drain in the shower. She lives in an apartment building which is about five years old. This stuff even magically appears in the cats dish. Any clue WTF it is? She thinks it's mold. Is this possible?

Pic update! 12:51 am

I found this on the shower handle

The bathroom drain

The cats bowl that was clean yesterday

black stuff on her hand that came out of the faucet

More weird black stuff in toilet

Stuff on inside of washing machine

Stuff that looks like spooge from a glass left overnight on a teaspoon

Her house

Update 03-01-05!

According to my buddy, the landlord's lackey thinks it maybe algae and brought a hot water heater to her apartment today. Supposed to be installed this week. Anyone ever hear of algae growing in a hot water heater? And no, I am not posting pics of a hot water heater ... use your imagination! :p

Nasty shyt will grow in a water heater if it's not kept above 140 degrees.

 

SignMeUp

Junior Member
Apr 23, 2014
2
0
0
That is like leaving the story 3/4 of the way through??

What was the black goop? How was it resolved? Did everyone in this thread get consumed by it? :eek:

---

Hi,

Welcome to AnandTech Forums. I locked the thread because the previous reply was over nine years ago.

Our members refer to such posts as "necro" posts, and some of them tend to post replies ranging from sarcastic to hostile, including possible accusations of spamming, whether warranted or not.

You are welcome to continue posting on our forums. Thanks for understanding. We hope you enjoy yourself on our forums. :)

Harvey
Senior AnandTech Moderator/Administrator
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Status
Not open for further replies.