Smell Something Weird In Worcester? It's Probably The Pipes

WORCESTER, MA — Some homes in Worcester might smell a little funny this week, but don't be alarmed — the city is just curing some pipes.

Worcester will mount several cured-in-place pipe projects across the city this week. The process involves injecting a resin into old pipes to create a new lining. The resin contains styrene, which can emit a "disagreeable" plastic smell into homes.

"Most, but not all, people can smell styrene at levels below those which cause significant health effects. Its odor is sweet at very low concentrations but becomes sharp and disagreeable at higher concentrations which still may be well below the legal limits for exposure," the state of California says of the product.

Worcester's cured-in-place pipe projects began Monday along Heard Street and Cumberland Street. The projects will continue Tuesday along Franklin Street and Solferino Street. If all goes according to plan, the final lining project will hit Orono Street near the West Boylston line on Wednesday.

There are methods residents can take to block the odor: pour about a 1/2 gallon of water down drains in your home to fill the traps that lead to the sewer main. The city also advises residents to open windows and use fans to vent the smell.

Styrene odor can be harmful at high concentrations, according to the California guidance, but it's also very easy to smell at extremely low concentrations.