Tap water sometimes has a strange odour that makes people not rushing to drink it, and this is a huge problem because when we do not drink sufficient water we can become dehydrated and this can lead to ill health quite quickly.
If this is you, then you should find out the source of the strange odour of your tap water so that you can ascertain whether it is safe to drink or not, despite the odour. An unwanted odour emanating from your drinking water could mean that it is contaminated, and could be a sign of bigger issues afflicting the tap or the water pipeline. It could also mean that the distribution system requires maintenance or even just some flushing.
There are various reasons that water can have an odd taste or odour, including:
- Bleach Odour: If there is a strong bleach odour emanating from your drinking water, it probably means that somewhere along the line too much chlorine, which is added to drinking water to eliminate traces of bacteria, viruses and parasites, was added to the water. The odour could also be because of the water temperature; colder water can hold on to chlorine for longer. This smell can easily be removed by using a carbon water filter, chilling the water in a refrigerator, or adding a slice of lemon or orange.
- Musty Odour: A musty odour could be attributed to pollution such as algal blooms in the water source, sediment leaching into the plumbing system or trace amounts of copper, iron or lead from old, decaying or rusting water pipes.
Of course there is a much easier way to ensure that your drinking water tastes and smells great – invest in a water cooler with a good water filter that will filter out all pollutants, including heavy metals, chlorine by-products and even the fluoride put in drinking water in some countries.
