Tap water has a notorious reputation for not tasting good. Whether it has a mineral scent or a bleach-like aroma, many people choose alternatives to the tap for drinking at home. They may select bottled water. But that option contributes to plastic waste and costs more. Others may select sodas or juices instead of water. However, those options can add too much sugar or caffeine to the diet. Instead, find out why your water smells bad.
Tips for Identifying Why Your Water Smells Bad
There are several factors that can affect the smell of water. First, when determining the cause, test the water at all the taps in your home. If the smell comes from all the taps, the problem is with the incoming water. However, if you only have one tap that produces bad smelling or tasting water, you should call a plumber to have a look at the faucet.
What Is the Smell?
Next, identify the smell. Does it smell like bleach? Dirt or something organic? What about gasoline or rotten eggs?
When your water smells like bleach, the city may have used too many chloramines or chlorine in it to kill bacteria.
An organic scent that smells like dirt could indicate algae blooms on the surface water of your area. After going through a water treatment facility, the water no longer has algae in it. However, the treatment process doesn’t remove the moldy, dirty smell of the algae. Most people notice this type of smell more often when the weather warms in the spring or summer. Some of these algae produce toxic cyanobacteria, which water treatment facilities remove through chlorination and filtration.
A smell of gasoline in your water could indicate a fuel spill in the water supply. Do not drink this water. Instead, contact your water provider at once. Use bottled water for cleaning and drinking until the city resolves the problem.
Rotten eggs produce a distinctive sulfur smell. While most people rarely smell rotten eggs, they know what the aroma is and can easily identify it. In drinking water, a sulfur smell can come from hydrogen sulfide, produced by the breakdown of bacteria. Luckily, this substance is not dangerous. However, in some homes, it can discolor the water and damage plumbing. Hiring a plumber to find the source of the bacteria can protect the rest of your plumbing system.
How to Correct Water that Smells Bad
To correct the smell, you may need to hire a plumber to find the source or contact your local water provider. However, in cases of contaminants that aren’t dangerous, you could improve your water through charcoal filtration and purification with a reverse osmosis filter.
Contact Best Home Water Treatment Systems for Better Smelling and Fresher Tasting Water
If you are tired of having your water smell bad, reach out to Best Home Water Treatment Systems. Our professionals can advise you on the best water treatment options to remove the bad smells from your water and give you healthy, pure water from your home’s taps.
