Editor’s note: This report started with a tip from a reader. If you see news break, email us immediately at [email protected] or text 571-989-1695.
UPDATE, ~4:20 p.m.: Prince William Fire and Rescue said it took 21 “outside gas leak” calls Saturday between 7:20 a.m. and 1:18 p.m. after residents reported a strong outdoor sulfur odor. Battalion Chief Brian Ferguson, the acting fire marshal, said crews detected a sulfur odor but four-gas meters read normal. Washington Gas was notified and reported no issues with its system. No source has been identified. No shelter-in-place order was issued. No protective action is required, fire officials said.
Stafford County Fire and Rescue PIO Katie Brady said Stafford has not received odor or hazmat calls matching the reports.
Fairfax Water public affairs manager Susan Miller said the utility has not received odor complaints and does not operate wastewater plants — Fairfax Water treats drinking water only.
UPDATE, ~8:10 p.m.: Prince William Water and Virginia American Water say they are not the source.
Prince William Water said it is not aware of anything at the H.L. Mooney reclamation facility or in its operational system that would explain Saturday’s odor reports, including after crews canvassed in the field.
Virginia American Water said its operations team confirmed nothing out of the ordinary at either of its wastewater plants in Prince William.
Fairfax Water earlier said it had no odor complaints and treats drinking water only.
No official source has been identified.
UPDATE, Sunday ~8:10 a.m.: Prince William Water and Virginia American Water say they are not seeing a plant problem. New reader reports widened the map overnight.
Prince William Water said it is not aware of anything at the H.L. Mooney reclamation facility or in its operational system that would explain Saturday’s odor reports, including after crews canvassed in the field.
Virginia American Water said its operations team confirmed nothing out of the ordinary at either of its wastewater plants in Prince William.
Fairfax Water earlier said it had no odor complaints and treats drinking water only. It does not operate wastewater plants; those in this area are run by Fairfax County DPWES in Lorton and by Prince William Water in eastern Prince William.
No official source has been identified. Prince William Fire and Rescue’s 21 outside gas-leak calls, normal meter readings, and “no protective action required” guidance still stand. Stafford Fire reported no matching odor or hazmat calls.
New neighborhood reports sent to Potomac Local after the first map: Quate Lane in Woodbridge around 10 a.m.; Godolphin Drive in south Springfield late morning into early afternoon; Bull Run Mountain in Haymarket around 11 a.m.; Moorgreen Drive in Manassas (20112) around 10 a.m.; Broad Run near Warrenton around 9:45 a.m.; Springwoods and Old Bridge Road around 8:40 a.m.; and Oakwood / Tree House Drive in Woodbridge, where one reader said the smell returned about 7:30–8 p.m. Saturday.
Readers continued to report the smell into the evening, including Oakwood / Tree House Drive in Woodbridge around 7:30–8 p.m. Other new reports: Tackett’s Mill late morning; Moorgreen Drive in Manassas around 10 a.m.; Broad Run near Warrenton around 9:45 a.m.
Where readers said they smelled it
After the first version of this story posted, dozens of Facebook comments named neighborhoods and roads. The densest clusters Saturday morning were Dale City (Hoadly, Dale Boulevard, Cardinal, Lindendale, Kerrydale, Birchdale, Chinn), Lake Ridge and Westridge (Colby, Springwoods, Harbor, Cotton Mill / Antietam, Tackett’s Mill, Old Bridge Estates, Berwick), and Montclair (multiple reports between about 7:20 and 10 a.m., several saying it had faded by noon). Other named places included Manassas and the Sudley Manor / Rolling Road corridor, Bristow, Gainesville and the Freedom Center, north Stafford and Garrisonville, Potomac Shores, Dumfries, Independent Hill, Rippon Landing, Belmont Bay, Lorton / Springfield, and isolated mentions farther out.
One commenter said the corner of Dale Boulevard and Minnieville Road often smells and that a wastewater plant sits there. That is a neighbor observation, not a finding by Prince William Water. It also would not, by itself, explain reports in Gainesville, Montclair, Stafford, or Manassas.
Prince William Fire and Rescue’s 21 outside gas-leak calls ran 7:20 a.m. to 1:18 p.m. Crews smelled sulfur. Four-gas meters were normal. Washington Gas reported no system issue. No source has been identified. No shelter-in-place. Stafford Fire reported no matching calls.
Interactive map of places named in Facebook comments and the story. Pins are neighborhood-level, not exact addresses. Source still unidentified. — Potomac Local News
Residents across a wide stretch of Prince William County — and at least into Stafford and Springfield — had reported a sulfur, sewage or rotten-egg odor Saturday morning. Potomac Local News began hearing from readers around midday after posts circulated in Facebook, Ring and Nextdoor groups serving Woodbridge, Lake Ridge and Stafford.
What people said they smelled
- Sulfur, sewer, methane, garbage or “like Yellowstone”
- Several first thought it was a kitchen sink, septic tank or trash, then found it outside
- Strongest in the morning; weaker by early afternoon
A Woodbridge woman who asked that her name not be used said she lives near Potomac Club, Stone Ridge and Opitz Boulevard, by Sentara. She said the smell was in her living room about 7 to 8 a.m. after she slept with the back patio door open. When she went outside around 1 p.m., she said the scent had trailed off — or she had gone “nose blind” to it.
Neighborhoods and roads named in those posts
Woodbridge
- County Complex
- Minnieville
- Potomac Club / Stone Ridge / Opitz Boulevard area
- Rippon / Rippon Lodge
- Quate Lane
- Tree House Drive (evening return)
Lake Ridge
- Westridge
- Hedges Run
- Mount Burnside Way
- Oakwood
- Cotton Mill / Antietam
- Fantasy Park
- Tackett’s Mill
- Old Bridge Road
- Springwoods & Old Bridge
- Knightsbridge
- Dapple Gray Court
- Chinn
- Mohican
Dale City
- Cloverdale
- Darbydale
Also named
- Bristow
- Manassas
- Stafford (at least one resident)
- Springfield in Fairfax County (one commenter)
- Godolphin Drive, south Springfield
- Bull Run Mountain, Haymarket
- Broad Run near Warrenton, Fauquier
- Moorgreen Drive, Manassas (20112)
We have not independently verified every location named in social posts.
What we have asked
Potomac Local sent inquiries Saturday afternoon to county public information officers in Prince William, Stafford and Fairfax; to fire and rescue and emergency management in those localities; to Prince William Water, Fairfax Water, Virginia American Water and Stafford Utilities; and to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
We asked whether agencies logged odor or hazmat-type calls, whether a source has been identified, whether anyone was sent to investigate, and whether there is health guidance for residents.
What agencies have said so far
- Prince William Fire and Rescue (Battalion Chief Brian Ferguson, acting fire marshal): 21 outside gas-leak calls between 7:20 a.m. and 1:18 p.m.; crews smelled sulfur; four-gas meters normal; Washington Gas reports no system issues; no source identified; no shelter-in-place; no protective action required.
- Stafford Fire and Rescue (PIO Katie Brady): no odor or hazmat calls matching the reports so far.
- Fairfax Water (public affairs manager Susan Miller): no odor complaints; Fairfax Water treats drinking water only and does not operate wastewater plants.
- Prince William Water (Kathy Bentz): not aware of anything at H.L. Mooney or in the operational system that would explain the reports; crews canvassed in the field.
- Virginia American Water (Marybeth Leongini): nothing out of the ordinary at either Prince William wastewater plant.
- Stafford Sheriff’s Office PIO Jackson Arnold earlier referred questions to Stafford Fire and Rescue and to the sheriff’s FOIA portal. He said the sheriff’s office would provide no further information at that time.
- Stafford Utilities sent an automatic reply that a representative would review the message, typically within one business day.
- Fairfax County Fire and Rescue’s office of the fire chief sent an automatic acknowledgment.
Still outstanding on the record: Fairfax County Fire / public affairs, and DEQ.
What we do not know
- No agency has confirmed a source of the odor
- No agency has issued health guidance tied to this smell beyond fire officials saying no protective action is required
A sulfur or rotten-egg odor can come from several common sources, including wastewater treatment, sewer collection lines, landfills, natural gas odorant or stagnant water. That is not a finding that any of those is responsible Saturday.
How to reach us
Anyone who smelled it can tell us:
- Neighborhood or nearest road
- About what time
- Whether it was still there later in the day
Comment on Potomac Local’s social posts, email [email protected], or text 571-989-1695. We will keep names and exact addresses out of the story if you ask.
We will update this report when more agencies reply.
