Do You Know What Your Tap Water Tastes Like?

Water systems can be intricate and finding the cause of the water's taste can be even more difficult. Bad tasting or smelly water can affect you every single day. If you are brushing your teeth, drinking a glass of water, or cooking, you just can't get away from the taste and smell. Finding the source of the taste or smell is the first step in getting the right water filter for you. Once you find the right filter, you will discover why your tap water smells or tastes so bad!

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 15% of people in the United States use well water. That means their water is not from a municipal source but from their well. The rest of the populations (around 85%) get their water from municipal systems. Because most well water is groundwater, municipal water comes from surface sources including rivers and lakes or a combination of sources. This water faces a long journey going from the treatment plant, through underground pipes, usually below city streets, then finally through pipes into homes.

The condition and makeup of the pipes along with the source of the water will have an effect on the taste of the water coming out of the tap. Usually, the taste of the water is not the issue. Most tastes are coming from the odor of the water.

Water that smells like rotten eggs can be caused by a variety of bacteria in the system or from hydrogen sulfide which takes place naturally in water systems due to the decay of organic material. Most water agencies do not consider this a dangerous issue but hydrogen sulfide can cause the corrosion of plumbing and lead to blackened water, Bet that's a big issue with you!

Sulfur causes the taste and smell of water. Even though sulfur is well below dangerous levels, the taste and smell is well beyond offensive. In most cases, this is usually caused by sulfates or hydrogen sulfide gas.

According to England's Southern Water, this is a unique taste that comes with difficult solutions. The taste comes from anti-oxidants found in plastic pipes. The only thing to do is replace the plumbing.

During the summer months or the fall, you might notice a musty or earthy taste in your water supply. This is caused naturally by algae along with higher water temperatures in lakes. As an example, Lake Ontario can cause this to happen due to temperatures. Even though it's not dangerous to drink the water, it doesn't taste very good during that time of year.

Chlorine is added during the water treatment phase to ensure tap water is safe to drink. Chlorine is regulated by the various agency including the Province of Ontario's Safe Drinking Water Act. The water is continually monitored but some people might be very sensitive to the taste. You can try placing a pitcher of water in your refrigerator and let it stand overnight.

Algal Bloom is an alga the leaves a moldy taste to your tap water. Blooms are most common during the spring months. You will probably experience a musty or moldy taste during that time of year. Municipal water is treated with a disinfectant to eliminate the algae before it reaches your tap but the taste can linger if it gets into your line.

A bitter taste in water is usually caused by copper in the water from corrosion of copper plumbing. Iron, zinc, and manganese can all lead to a metallic taste in your water. When the level of iron and manganese rises it can cause aesthetic issues such as staining laundry, or fixtures. It can build up in water heaters which will have to be drained to get rid of the mineral deposit.

In some cases, this can be complicated but most likely it's caused by high levels of chloride ions. In case you don't know, sodium chloride is common table salt (NaCl ). Other chlorides include potassium chloride (KCI) or calcium chloride (CaC1). Reasons for this rise of chloride could be due to:

Seawater entering your water supply

Industrial waste entering the water supply

Melting snow and rain carrying road salt into local reservoirs.

Even though chloride ions are the most logical culprit for salty-tasting water, sulfates may also play a part. Many sulfates happen naturally in some soils and rocks. As groundwater moves through the earth, sulfates can make their way into local water supplies.

Also, if sewage enters the water supply, sodium and chloride levels will spike causing tap water to taste salty.

Salty-tasting water is not just miserable to drink but can damage your pipes. Although it's not hazardous to people, it can cause diarrhea. If you are someone who is on a reduced-sodium diet, you might want to be careful.

This is sometimes caused by high levels of naturally occurring minerals including calcium or iron. Sweetness may be attributed to an imbalance in your water's alkaline or pH levels. All waters have a taste but not the same taste. The taste is subjective and influenced by your own biology and the water source.

There are many people who do not like to drink enough needed water because they do not like the taste. There are ways to make water taste better:

Squeeze in some orange, lemon, or lime to add flavor and a good level of vitamin C.

Add some fruits such as strawberries, mint, or raspberries. Crush them up for a better taste.

Use sparkling water instead of tap water if carbonation is something you prefer.

Create flavored ice cubes with fruit juice.

Try some sugarless flavor packets if you want to flavor up your water

Better yet, buy a water filter to eliminate all tastes and orders we have gone over.