Why Does My Tap Water Suddenly Taste Bad?

Clean water is an essential part of daily life. Are you wondering why the water in your home suddenly tastes bad? You might be wondering how on earth that sort of problem could happen. After all, don’t you get water from a supply that’s always safe and clean?

While the water that comes out of the pipe might be safe to drink, there are a number of reasons you could be experiencing a sudden bad taste. Use this guide to learn more about your water’s strange flavor and how you may be able to fix it.

Chlorine

Chlorine is commonly used to disinfect a city’s water supply, and while you shouldn’t taste it by the time it gets to your home, some people may notice trace amounts. Though it isn’t harmful in small doses, chlorine can be off-putting enough that it can make drinking the water from your tap feel like a chore.

Pipe Corrosion

If your tap water has a bad metallic taste, this is likely due to corroding copper and galvanized water pipes. While small amounts of these metals may not hurt you, it can be hard to judge for yourself what is safe, so we suggest calling us to see if you are in need of a reliable Water Line Repair & Installation.

If you have corroded pipes, you’ll often notice that your water is staining fixtures. Copper in the water may lead to a greenish tint in your hair and even green stains around the sink, shower, and bath drains.

Salty Flavor

Are you wondering why the water tastes salty in your house? Water that has a strong or slightly salty flavor often tastes that way because of chloride compounds that can be found in many municipal water supplies. While these compounds are not harmful to most people, they can be problematic for individuals on very low-sodium diets.

Sulfur

Much more common in rural areas where wells are used, sulfurous water can be very difficult to drink because it makes water taste bad. In fact, many people say that it tastes like rotten eggs – which isn’t exactly a pleasant way to cool down when you’re hot!

Sulfur in water is often related to the decay of vegetation somewhere in your water lines. Checking your pipe access points or dredging a well is a wise choice to help you remedy this problematic water situation.

Lead

Water that has a sweet taste may contain lead, which can be very dangerous for children and adults to drink. This is typically a problem with the main water supply in your area and should be reported the right way.

If you think you may have lead in your water, avoid drinking it until lead levels have been checked by local authorities and have been determined safe.

Algae

A taste that’s somewhat earthy is often related to a bit of alga in your water. Algae is naturally occurring in most water supplies and won’t hurt you, and while most municipalities filter it out, some can still get through.

Make Your Water Taste Better

If you find that your water has a taste that you don’t like, faucet purification and water softener systems can help you obtain cleaner-tasting water. These are especially useful if you’re dealing with chlorine, salt or algae.

If you have corroded pipes or a problem with your water supply, you’ll need to remedy those problems to have safe, clean drinking water at home.

Your drinking water should taste clean and fresh, not like chemicals or elements that shouldn’t be there. Reach out to Fenwick Home Services to learn more about why your drinking water may taste funny and how we can help you fix it. We offer plumbing services such as water softener installation, water line repair, water heater replacement, and gas line repair.