Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) customers in and around Sheboygan County may notice a natural gas odor in the area this afternoon. The smell is likely due to an odorant issue at one of WPS’ natural gas facilities. The odor is not dangerous and there are no reports of a natural gas leak.

Natural gas is odorless. WPS adds the distinctive rotten egg smell to the natural gas it delivers to homes and businesses to make it easy to detect. The odorant is called mercaptan. A valve on a tank that stores mercaptan at a WPS facility failed this afternoon, causing the strong smell to waft across the area. While mercaptan is no longer being released, the smell may linger.

Extra WPS crews are responding to disperse the odor and investigate natural gas smells inside homes and businesses. Customers who suspect a natural gas leak may be occurring are urged leave the area immediately and contact WPS from a safe location.