Narrative:

In cruise flight; I asked the flight attendant to bring me a cup of coffee and some hot water so that I could make oatmeal. Immediately I noticed a funny smell and taste to the coffee; but I thought that it might just be extra strong. After a few more sips I noticed a burning sensation on my tongue and throat. At this time I asked the flight attendants if they had noticed anything wrong with the water; they said that they noticed the smell too; and some of the passenger had noticed as well. The captain and I told the flight attendants to stop serving the coffee -- hot water. About 90 mins later; while on descent; the flight attendants told us that a few of the passenger were complaining of nausea. Upon gate arrival we were met by several supervisors; I was told to go to company medical for an evaluate. Myself and both flight attendants were pulled off flight duty until reclred by medical the next day. The next flight was delayed so that the potable water system could be put on MEL and water samples could be taken. To this day I do not know why the event occurred. I have not been informed of the nature of the chemical found on board the aircraft. To my knowledge there is a significant investigation taking place to determine if this was merely an accident or if it was done intentionally. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that two flight attendants and he were examined by medical personnel with no long term effects although one flight attendant chose not to return to work. The aircraft and one other whose water was serviced at the same station and had the same acrid smell have had their on board water MEL-ed out of service. Reporter was not privy to findings from any analysis which may have been performed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPTAIN AND PAX ABOARD CRJ SUFFER DIGESTIVE SYMPTOMS APPARENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ONBOARD WATER SUPPLY.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT; I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO BRING ME A CUP OF COFFEE AND SOME HOT WATER SO THAT I COULD MAKE OATMEAL. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED A FUNNY SMELL AND TASTE TO THE COFFEE; BUT I THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT JUST BE EXTRA STRONG. AFTER A FEW MORE SIPS I NOTICED A BURNING SENSATION ON MY TONGUE AND THROAT. AT THIS TIME I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANTS IF THEY HAD NOTICED ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE WATER; THEY SAID THAT THEY NOTICED THE SMELL TOO; AND SOME OF THE PAX HAD NOTICED AS WELL. THE CAPT AND I TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO STOP SERVING THE COFFEE -- HOT WATER. ABOUT 90 MINS LATER; WHILE ON DSCNT; THE FLT ATTENDANTS TOLD US THAT A FEW OF THE PAX WERE COMPLAINING OF NAUSEA. UPON GATE ARR WE WERE MET BY SEVERAL SUPVRS; I WAS TOLD TO GO TO COMPANY MEDICAL FOR AN EVAL. MYSELF AND BOTH FLT ATTENDANTS WERE PULLED OFF FLT DUTY UNTIL RECLRED BY MEDICAL THE NEXT DAY. THE NEXT FLT WAS DELAYED SO THAT THE POTABLE WATER SYS COULD BE PUT ON MEL AND WATER SAMPLES COULD BE TAKEN. TO THIS DAY I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE EVENT OCCURRED. I HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE NATURE OF THE CHEMICAL FOUND ON BOARD THE ACFT. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTIGATION TAKING PLACE TO DETERMINE IF THIS WAS MERELY AN ACCIDENT OR IF IT WAS DONE INTENTIONALLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER ADVISED THAT TWO FLT ATTENDANTS AND HE WERE EXAMINED BY MEDICAL PERSONNEL WITH NO LONG TERM EFFECTS ALTHOUGH ONE FLT ATTENDANT CHOSE NOT TO RETURN TO WORK. THE AIRCRAFT AND ONE OTHER WHOSE WATER WAS SERVICED AT THE SAME STATION AND HAD THE SAME ACRID SMELL HAVE HAD THEIR ON BOARD WATER MEL-ED OUT OF SERVICE. REPORTER WAS NOT PRIVY TO FINDINGS FROM ANY ANALYSIS WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PERFORMED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.