SEATTLE — Residents of Seattle’s South Park neighborhood are frustrated by a persistent foul odor that has lingered for weeks, and authorities are still searching for the source.
People who live and work in the area say it smells like sulfur or rotten eggs.
“Like gas, like gas smell, but it’s not gas, but it just smells really bad,” said Ruben Armas, who lives and works in South Park.
Javier Alvarez, a business owner in South Park, described the odor as “like animal dead.”
“It’s really strong,” he said. “It’s really bad.”
People in the area say the smell comes and goes as the day goes on.
Despite numerous investigations, the source of the odor remains unidentified.
Puget Sound Energy has received calls and officials have come out to investigate, but found no gas issues.
The King County Wastewater Treatment Division also received complaints. Teams inspected the wastewater system and maintenance hole covers, but did not find anything that was related to odor issues.
The Lower Duwamish Waterway Group, which consists of King County, the City of Seattle, and Boeing, also received questions if the odors were related to the cleanup construction on the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site. The County said no issues were found when looking at hydrogen sulfide levels near the work area during dredging.
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has sent inspectors to several facilities in the area but has not yet pinpointed the cause of the smell.
“At this time, the odors appear to be at nuisance levels—far below the concentrations that pose health risks,” wrote a spokesperson for the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. “However, we are conducting further investigation. If anyone experiences symptoms related to the smell, they should seek medical attention from a licensed healthcare provider.”
Residents are encouraged to file complaints with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency using their online form for odor nuisances. Once a complaint is submitted, an inspector will evaluate it to determine the appropriate response.
You can submit complaints here or call (206) 343-8800.
Neighborhood groups are pushing for answers and most importantly, a fix.
“It impacts our small community in a big way,” Armas said.
©2025 Cox Media Group
