Why Does My Tap Water Taste Bad and Smell Like Sewage or Rotten Eggs?
So, why does your tap water taste bad?
At the top of the nasty-o-meter are sewage and rotten eggs.
- Rotting food in your drain
- Bacteria off-gassing in your distribution pipes
- Or worst of all…
- Actual sewage!
If it’s coming from your drain, as the gas drifts upwards it might seem like it’s coming from the water faucet itself.
That’s the best-case scenario...
On the other hand, it could be coming from bacteria in your private well, distribution pipes or water heater.
As the bacteria sits for long periods of time, it starts to produce dense gases like hydrogen sulfide and dimethyl disulfide—both have a delicious rotten egg/sewage aroma. Mmmm, mmmm, good.
Dimethyl disulfide and hydrogen sulfide are produced in oxygen-poor environments, so plumbing systems are the perfect spot.
Worst of all, humans can smell them even at low concentrations.
Over time, hydrogen sulfide can damage pipes and corrode metals on silverware and plumbing fixtures.
Most of the time water that smells like rotten eggs won’t get you sick, but in rare cases it’s a sign of dangerous water contamination from actual sewage that has contaminated the building’s water supply. Gross!
Why Does My Water Smell Musty and Earthy?
A musty or earth aroma can come from fungi and algae growths in or near your water supply.
Algae on lakes, rivers, or even inside your private well can release musty-smelling compounds called geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol.
If you notice the smell gets worse in late summer, it’s because that’s when the algae blooms.
Private wells are more likely to have this problem than public water systems. On the rare occasion that public water smells musty, they probably didn’t add enough chlorine at the treatment plant.
In both cases, the solution is to use shock chlorine treatment to kill the microorganisms.
The only problem is now you have to get rid of all that toxic, stinky chlorine...
Why Does My Water Smell Like Chlorine?
Chlorine and similar disinfectants, like chloramine, are the most common causes of bad smelling water.
They’re added by treatment plants to prevent outbreaks, but if they add just a little too much your tap water will start to taste like a swimming pool.
Roughly 84 percent of Americans are on municipal water systems with chemically disinfected water.
Research shows that long-term exposure to chlorine may cause cancer, so it’s always best to outfit your home with a water filter to remove it.
Cheap carbon filters work quite well for chlorine, but reverse osmosis filters give you the most protection against other dangerous contaminants.
Why Does My Water Smell Like Gasoline?
It’s pretty rare for tap water to smell like gasoline, but it’s a serious issue if it does.
Chances are your water supply came into contact with an underground fuel tank leak, contamination from nearby factories, or agricultural runoff.
Side effects of drinking gasoline-contaminated water can include anemia, liver and kidney problems, and an increased risk of cancer.
Contact your county health department immediately if you smell gasoline in your water.
How to Track Down the Source of Your Smelly Water
It’s time to follow your nose to the source of your smelly water...
#1: The first step is to rule out a smelly drain. To do that, fill a cup with water, walk away from the faucet and smell your water. If it doesn’t stink you can rule out a smelly drain.
#2: The next step is to check all your faucets. If the smell only comes from some faucets, but not all, then the odor is coming from a short section of your pipes. However, if the odor comes from all your faucets, you’ve got a much bigger problem on your hands.
#3: Try running your water for a few minutes. If the smell goes away, the problem is likely in your homes’ plumbing and not in your water source.
#4: If the smell does not go away after running your water, it is either coming from your hot water tank or further down in your water source.
#5: If only your hot water smells, the magnesium rod in your hot water tank is probably the culprit.
#6: If both your hot and cold water smells, the source will be more difficult to pin down—it’s somewhere deep in the water source itself.
What Should You Do to Get Rid of the Smell?
This will rule out anything dangerous and help you shop for the right water filter.
Once you get your test results back, you can decide which level of protection you need.
If the smell is only caused by chlorine and your water is free of other harmful pollutants, a simple carbon filter should do the trick.
Activated carbon filters fit under your sink, on your faucet, or in your fridge (pitcher filter). For the most part, they do a great job of removing chlorine and improving the smell of your water.
However, if you want protection from the full range of contaminants, you should upgrade to a reverse osmosis (RO) system.
RO systems use a combination of sediment filters, carbon filters, ion exchange resins, RO membranes, and remineralization filters to remove 99.9% of dangerous contaminants, not to mention they make your water smell and taste amazing!
Cloud Water Filters use built-in software to monitor your water quality 24/7 through an app on your phone, so you won’t have to worry about water ever again.
Click here to learn more.
