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Earthy, musty or stale tastes
and odours
These types of tastes and smells are
usually associated with water left to
stand in pipework for long periods.
Flushing the taps through should help
to remove stale water.
To check that the smell or taste is not coming from your sink or
plughole fill a glass of water and take it away from the sink
area. If the taste or smell is no longer detectable it is likely that
the problem is originating from a build-up of waste material in
the sink drainage arrangement. Try cleaning out the waste trap
and drain.
If you think the taste and smell is coming from your tap water
there are several causes to consider. The most common cause
is water flowing back from a ‘dead leg’ of pipework within a
property. Water supplies can contain low levels of harmless
microorganisms, which occur naturally in all waters. Their
numbers can increase if water is allowed to stand or stagnate
in domestic plumbing systems. In addition, the warming of cold
water pipes by the hot water system can produce conditions
favourable to the growth of these microorganisms. Flushing the
cold taps to remove standing water should improve the taste
and smell. If running the taps does not improve the situation
please contact us as we may need to flush the water main at
times of low turnover.
Occasionally an earthy taste can develop in the source water
due to the breakdown of vegetation or algae – particularly in
the summer months. Normally our treatment processes will
remove the majority of the natural chemicals that cause this
taste.
The water industry is regulated by the Drinking Water
Inspectorate. For further information on taste and odour
problems please visit their website:
http://dwi.defra.gov.uk/consumers/advice-leaflets/index.htm