Water is supposed to be a flavorless drink. So when homeowners in North and South Carolina notice that their tap water has a distinct taste, they can become confused and concerned. We here at North Carolina Water Consultants want to help you understand why your water tastes the way it does, so today we’re going to talk about the various factors that can affect tap water taste and what you can do to always have great-tasting water in your home!
The taste of your tap water starts at the source
The taste of your home’s tap water can be traced all the way back to where it originally came from. The tap water in most homes comes from either surface water (such as rivers and lakes) or ground water (such as private wells).
The water from all of these sources has a distinct concentration of thousands of different minerals and contaminants, all of which will alter the taste of the water that ends up in your home. Surface water, for example, can experience algae blooms at various times of the year. When this happens, tap water can begin to taste earthy or musty.
In addition, ground water typically has a much higher mineral concentration than surface water because of all of the contact that it has with rocks and soil. Iron, for example, is found in high concentrations of ground water, which gives it that distinct metallic taste.
Disinfectant chemicals contribute to tap water taste
Another big factor that contributes to the taste of your tap water is disinfectant chemicals. Water treatment plants use chlorine or chloramine (a mixture of chlorine and ammonia) to kill deadly bacteria in source water and prevent the public from waterborne illnesses. A side effect of using these chemicals is that our tap water can have a chlorine taste.
Since water treatment plants use different concentrations of chlorine throughout the year, the presence of that chlorine taste can vary on any given day.
City and residential pipes can also affect the taste of tap water
After water leaves your water treatment plant, it has to travel through miles of city pipes before it gets to your home. Many of these pipes are more than 100 years old, and the material that those pipes are made of can leech into our water and alter its taste.
Even the pipes in our own homes can affect the taste of tap water. If your home has copper pipes, for example, your water will likely have a more metallic taste than it would if your pipes were made of galvanized steel.
Install a water filtration system for the best-possible tasting water
The best way to have consistently great tasting tap water is to install a whole house filtration system. These systems will remove any traces of disinfectant chemicals and other contaminants that affect the taste of tap water, which will allow you to have clean and delicious water at every tap in your home.
If you have any question about the taste of your tap water, or if you’d like a water treatment system serviced or installed in your home, contact NC Water Consultants. We’re you’re North and South Carolina water treatment company, servicing towns like Oakboro, Charlotte and Davidson, NC.
photo credit: StockPhotosforFree.com via photopin cc