Why I love living in the city -- mystery odors.

Foul Odor Traced to WSSC Site In Maryland: "D.C. health inspectors say they have identified the source of a mysterious stench that drifted through the city recently: the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.

The WSSC dumped sewer waste for several months in a field at its pumping station in Capitol Heights, health inspectors said in a report issued yesterday. The report said WSSC officials told inspectors that the waste included 'roots, gravel and cigarette butts, human personal items and a variety of other objects that are normally found within the sewer system.'

WSSC officials disputed having a link to the odors that generated hundreds of complaints from D.C. residents. In an interview, they said that the agency had dumped only a small amount of material and that it was not responsible for the smell.

'There was not enough [waste] to create the widespread odors,' said Al Richardson, a commission spokesman. 'It doesn't support the argument for the widespread gas odor problem.'

Richardson said the commission no longer would dump waste at the site because it was not a 'good business practice.' He said the decision was not made in reaction to the District's health report.

For weeks, D.C. authorities had been trying to pin down the source of the stench, which was first noticed Sept. 28. Fire officials received more than 30 calls about gas leaks that day, primarily at large public buildings across Northeast Washington."