If the drinking water in your home develops an unpleasant odor, the type of smell can help you identify the problem. As the quality of your water can affect your health and cause you to drink less water, resolving a problem with your water supply is important. This overview helps you explore a few of the reasons your water has a strange smell, so you can fix the issue quickly.

4 Problems Affecting the Quality of Your Drinking Water

1. Bleach Odor

This problem primarily affects households that get their water supply from a city treatment facility as opposed to a water well. The city adds small amounts of chlorine to the supply of drinking water, but the chemical can build up over a period of time.

If your water has a strong odor similar to bleach or has a medicinal smell, you likely have too much chlorine buildup. In most cases, the problem can be solved by letting the water run for a few minutes. 

2. Rotten Eggs

Whether your water is supplied by a well or a treatment facility, it can develop bacterial growth, resulting in a smell that’s similar to the odor of rotten eggs. In order to get the nourishment they need, these types of bacteria initiate a process that turns sulfates in the water into hydrogen sulfide.

This chemical compound gives off the rotten egg odor, letting homeowners know when there’s bacterial growth in their system. A professional can recommend solutions to improve your home’s water quality.

3. Sewage Smell 

Sometimes, a foul odor has nothing to do with the quality of your water filtration system. Over time, pieces of food, cooking oils, hair, and other types of waste can build up in your drainage pipes.

Even though they may not be causing a blockage yet, they will produce a foul-smelling gas that will get displaced by the water as you run the faucet. You can solve this problem by running hot water down the drainpipe until the odor dissipates.

4. Fishy Odor

There may be other chemicals getting into your plumbing or water well that are causing a fish-like odor to develop. This can be caused by mineral ores getting into the system, such as barium or cadmium, or it can be caused by algae growth affecting your water supply.

If you get your water from a well, you should contact someone to test your water. If you get your water from the city, you should notify the water department that you suspect a problem.

 

 

Adding or updating your filtration system can help you improve the quality of your drinking water.  Aquaklear Filtration LLC has stores in McCall and Boise, ID, and provides long-lasting water filtration options to fit any budget. Operating since 2008, the company designs quality filtration products that help eliminate unwanted chemicals and contaminants from any household’s water supply. You can contact them by visiting their website, or by calling (208) 315-1565.