Objectives To investigate the cause of polluted drinking water in a residential district in Wuxi.

Methods In September 2011, the drinking water in a district in Wuxi appeared a badly paint-like smell. It was fo und that the room, where the secondary water supply water tank was placed, has just been painted a few days ago, and heavy paint smell has still remained in the room. Water samples were collected from the income water of the tank, the water remained in the tank, the secondary water from Room A (close to the tank) and Room B (far fr om the tank), and the water in the property office directly supplied from water factory. These water samples were tested for 12 items, including pH, visible objects, turbidity, color, stench odor, benzene, methylbenzene, xylene, ethyl benzene, styrene, total organic carbon and volatile phenol by GB 5749-2006, Standards for Drinking Water.

Results There were some stench odor in the water remained in the tank and the secondary water from Room A and Room B. Also a few methylbenzene and xylene were found in these 3 water samples, but were not out of the limits of the national standards.

Conclusions It was an event of secondary supply water polluted by paint works in the room where the secondary supply water tank was placed.