Reasons Your Water Doesn’t Taste Right

There’s nothing better after a long day doing yard work than a nice cup of ice cold water.

There’s also nothing worse than being met with water that tastes a bit . . . funky.‍

Although, in many cases, there’s not too much to worry about healthwise, this is still an annoying inconvenience!

What are some things causing the weird taste? Continue reading as we’ll explain a few common scenarios and what usually causes them.

We are Full Speed Plumbing, one of the top plumbing companies in the Anacortes area! We also serve Skagit Island, Mount Vernon, and San Juan Counties. We love offering helpful plumbing information and tips to our customers and whoever else might stumble upon our blog.‍

Older Pipes‍

If your water has a more “metallic” taste to it, this is usually a sign that your pipes are older or even rusty.

Galvanized pipes were the go-to option in the early 1900s, but unfortunately they have a very short lifespan (see our recent blog post, where we dive into plumbing problems in older homes.)

This isn’t usually a major health issue if it’s just very small amounts of metal. In fact, some of these minerals, such as iron and zinc, are actually needed for a healthy diet! Large quantities of these are obviously not healthy though. You may also be running the risk of ingesting toxins like lead!

So, more often than not, it’s best to contact your local plumber. They will help you install a water filtration system, or, depending on the severity of your situation, replace your pipes!‍

Mold Growth‍

You may notice that your water smells a bit musty. This is usually caused by an algae bloom, a type of mold that tends to thrive in water pipes.

Sometimes, this water can be very dangerous to ingest if the bacteria and harmful matter are still present.

At other times, it can be completely harmless if the water is filtered properly (despite the funny taste and smell).

Just like metallic tasting water, it’s still best to contact your plumber to assess the situation!‍

‍Chloride Contamination‍

If your water tastes salty, this is a sign that there is chloride in your water supply.

Small amounts of chloride are naturally found in groundwater. This overabundance can happen for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons would be run-off from road salts (during the colder, snowier months of the year) and seawater infiltration.

As with the other problems, we highly recommend contacting your plumber! When our customers have this problem we usually recommend installing a reverse osmosis water filtration system (which we can help install, of course ).‍

Where Can I Get Help With These Issues?‍

As one of the top plumbing businesses in the Anacortes area, we would love to help you identify the source of your funny tasting water and effectively fix everything for you!