Water Quality

If your water smells musty, make sure that your hot water pipes don’t come into contact with cold water pipes and that all plumbing valves, fittings, and materials are UPC certified. Any section of pipe or taps that aren’t used regularly should be flushed to allow fresh water in. This can be done by turning on the water and letting it run for a few minutes.

Causes of musty and earthy tastes and smells:

• The growth of harmless microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi in pipping can cause musty water that tastes or smells earthy. It’s very common in areas that have low usage or experience local warming –hot pipes coming into contact with cold pipes.

• Sometimes it’s caused by tiny amounts of naturally occurring substances released by algae in raw water reservoirs. At the levels found, these substances are not considered a health hazard. Our water treatment plants reduce the presence of these substances, and we do daily checks on the smell of raw and treated water.

We’re required by law to disinfect the public water supply. Most of the time, chlorine-based chemicals are used to ensure that water is safe to drink and free of organisms that could cause illness. The amount of chlorine added is only enough to disinfect the water while minimizing taste and smell.

How is chlorine added?

Chlorine is continuously added at our treatment plants which are monitored 24 hours a day.

Why’s chlorine more noticeable during certain times of the day?

The amount of chlorine in our water supply can vary slightly depending on how far the water must travel through our pipes. Customers who live closer to our water treatment plants may notice chlorine and water smells more often. During a high demand time –first thing in the morning and late afternoon –more people are using water. This means that the water flows to you faster and may contain more chlorine. The concentration of chlorine in the water pipes decreases over time.

We can’t guarantee that your water will never taste or smell like chlorine, and we know that certain customers are more sensitive to it.

To minimize chlorine taste/smell:

1. Fill a glass or bottle with tap water.
2. Cover it.
3. Put it in the refrigerator for about an hour.
4. Use the cooled water within 24 hours.

Bitter and metallic tastes and smells are usually cured by running the tap for 3 or 4 minutes to bring in fresh water.

Causes of bitter tastes and smells:

• Water having a metallic or bitter taste is usually caused by an increased amount of metals commonly found in home plumbing systems, such as copper or zinc.
• It can be the result of water standing in pipework for an extended amount of time, or local warming from unlagged hot water or central heating pipes. This tends to be more noticeable in large buildings or those with longer lengths of pipe.
• Also, if you have a water storage tank, check the material it’s made from and the condition it’s in. Turn on your tap to draw fresh water in from the water main supply. When all the water has been drained from your system, you should notice a change in the water temperature.

The rubber and plastic materials used in household appliances and fittings are most likely to blame for the chemical taste of your drinking water. Coffee maker gaskets/seals, tap washers, and hoses fitted to the inlet of washing machines and dishwashers are examples of plastic fittings.

These tastes do not come from the water pipes but are formed within the materials that makeup certain items. These plastic and rubber materials contain phenols and other substances that can produce unpleasant tastes or smells. Low levels of chlorine can also react with these materials to create other taste-causing substances.

Although these substances can create unpleasant tastes in hot drinks they do not pose any known health risks at the levels that are usually detected.

Chemical taste can come from one or more of the following factors:

Pressure fluctuation

The pressure of your water supply is somewhat higher at night and when fewer people are using water. This increased pressure can cause expansion in the rubber hoses connected to washing machines and dishwashers. When you turn on a tap on your property, the pressure drops, and the expanded rubber hose collapses, squirting water back into the incoming supply.

Standing water

Water that’s been in your pipes overnight or when your property is vacant is more likely to have taste-causing substances.

Washer deterioration

Washers deteriorate over time. Because the “break down” of washers isn’t a continuous process, the taste may fluctuate.

Fixing the chemical taste and smell

Coffee makers:

Try boiling water in a clean saucepan if you only notice the flavor in hot drinks. If the taste has gone away, it’s most likely due to a failing gasket that seals the components inside the coffee maker. This is most noticeable with new coffee makers. If the coffee maker is new, the problem may go away with time. Using new water each time may keep the flavor to a minimum. If the problem persists, you should contact the manufacturer.

Washing machines and dishwashers:

When water pressure increases it can cause the flexi-hose to expand– when the pressure is released, the hose collapses squirting water back into the incoming supply. This water can then mix with your drinking water. To avoid this, disconnect the flexi-hose by turning of the valve that supplies water to your washing machine when it’s not in use. If the valve is difficult to reach, you may want to hire a plumber to relocate it or install a check-valve to prevent water from entering your supply pipe.

Tap washers:

The washer in your taps can cause unpleasant tastes or smells in your drinking water. If there’s a second tap in your home, try using the water for it. If no taste or smell is noticeable the cause is likely the tap washer in the original tap. If there aren’t any other taps available, run the tap for a few minutes before tasting it.

Other hoses and fittings:

Flexible or braided hoses and other rubber-like materials are used in many modern kitchen faucet fittings. Some of these fits can cause taste issues. The easiest way to avoid these is to make sure that all your drinking water fittings are approved. Approved products should be clearly labeled. Though it’s not recommended to install an unapproved product in your drinking water pipe, selling them is not illegal, and many unapproved plumbing products are sold. All approved products must be clearly branded and tagged.