What does "good" water taste like? | Home Water Filter

How Should My Tap Water Taste? Do I Need a Water Filter?

Always Affordable Plumbing Solano and Sacramento has put out a lot of information about water quality and water filter systems. A lot of the information we put out there is to make sure our communities understand the reality of public water: it is safe to drink, but it may not be as pure or clean as you want. Water quality aside, sometimes water just tastes "funny". Does that mean there is something wrong with it? Does it mean it is unsafe? Keep reading to learn more...

Taste is Subjective

Here's the thing. Even the "cleanest", "safest", "purest" water might not taste good to you. Taste is subjective. In fact, the "best" tasting water should really have no flavor at all. In truth, some people prefer the taste of water that is high in natural mineral content. However, many others want their water to be as "plain" as possible. Regardless of your personal preference, there are some basic ways to judge water.

In general, water can be judged on these primary factors:

• TASTE

    — Sweet, chemically, bitter, salty

• MOUTHFEEL

    — Dry, silky, oily, chalky, metallic

• ODOR

    — Earthy, moldy, musty, pool water/chlorine, rancid, stale, medical, chemical

• CLARITY

    — Clear, bubbly, hazy, discolored

Things to Look Out For With Your Drinking Water

We can't tell you what you, personally, will prefer your drinking water to taste like, however, we can point out some things that it SHOULD NOT taste like. Here are some things you may come across that should generally be considered red flags for the quality of your water.

Bitter Taste

A bitter taste to your water can indicate high levels of "Total Dissolved Solids", or minerals. This type of water is called "hard" water. Some people don't mind the taste of minerals in their water, however, high mineral content can cause corrosion and damage to fixtures. Bitter tasting water can also indicate corrosion of copper piping. Damage to your pipes can lead to pinhole leaks and extensive water damage (as seen recently in Folsom).

Chlorine or Chemical Taste/Smell

If your tap water smells like a public pool, then DON'T DRINK IT. Chlorine smell or taste is likely due to high levels of chlorine, or chlorine by-product. Chlorine is used as a disinfectant for our drinking water. This is important, for sure. However, high levels of chlorine should not be ingested. Did you know that the acceptable level of chlorine in your drinking water can be higher than chlorine levels for a pool??

Dirty, Musty, Fishy

This can be a sign that algae was not killed in your municipal treatment center. It can also indicate the presence of agricultural chemicals and soil conditioners that have leeched into the water supply.

Discolored, Cloudy

Your tap water should ALWAYS be clear. Any discoloration, floating sediment, or murkiness is water that should NOT be ingested. Call Always Affordable Plumbing immediately to assess your water.

How to Always Have the Best Water Possible

Look, for the most part, our water supply here in Sacramento and Solano is going to be safe and of good quality. However, it can definitely be much better. High quality, pure, clean water is easy to have in your home with a home filter system. Even something as simple and inexpensive as a carbon filter will effectively remove chlorine from your water. While we need chlorine in the water supply to prevent bacteria, there is no need for chlorine at the tap! There are also options like reverse osmosis and whole home systems if you want an even better level of filtration. No matter your need, Always Affordable Plumbing is here to help. It all starts with a FREE home water analysis so you can see exactly what is in your actual water. From there we can go over options that will help improve the water quality in your home.

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