It can seem like a strange thing to say but you may not realize that your water tastes bad! Depending on what is causing it to taste bad, it is possible that the taste changes gradually. If you drink it every day you won’t notice the tiny differences. Of course, are sometimes you’ll find that it is very different from what it used to be!
The easiest way to check your water taste is to try different water, ideally from a bottle or filtered water. For example, reverse osmosis, also known as ro water, has all the heavy metals and minerals removed.
Verifying Your Bad Tasting Water
The simplest option, as mentioned, is to try someone else’s water, preferably someone who filters their water. You will notice the taste difference and it should prompt you to have your own water filtration system fitted.
You can also offer water to anyone that visits your home and ask them to give a genuine opinion regarding the taste of your water. Just as you are accustomed to your water, they will be to theirs and will notice a difference in taste.
Alongside taste testing, you should also smell your water. Pure water has very little odor, water that has been through a treatment plant may smell chlorinated, while mineral-rich water will have a metallic aroma.
If you notice an unusual and unpleasant aroma or taste it is a good sign that your water is bad. There are several common reasons for this:
- Musty water
Musty water has an earthy taste and generally means there is an excess of algal blooms in the water.
- Metallic
Metallic can be several things but the most common is corrosion of the inside of your pipes. It’s telling you that the plumbing system needs an overhaul.
- Salty
Salty water is a result of saltwater leaking into your water from another system. This could be a problem at your end or with the treatment works.
- Bleach
The aroma and taste of bleach in your water tell you that it contains a lot of chlorine, this could potentially be dangerous. The most effective way of eliminating chlorine is to use a reverse osmosis water filter.
This removes minerals and heavy metals, you will taste the difference.
- Sweet
If your water tastes sweet then you probably have too much calcium or iron in the water. This can also be because your pH levels are not right.
Dealing With the Issue
The simplest approach, when faced with bad-tasting water, is to invest in a water filtration system. You can choose between a single faucet or a whole house system. The latter is generally the better choice as it helps anyone with allergies and prevents you from having to think about where you should be taking your drinking water from.
If you want to eliminate bad-tasting water, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how good filtered water is and wonder why you didn’t do it earlier.
