Taste and Odour FAQs
You may not notice, but every water supply has its own distinct taste due to its composition. This is why you may notice a difference when you travel to a different part of the country.
Taste differences in water come from salts and the minute presence of specific metals such as iron, copper, manganese and zinc in the water. Some people are more sensitive to tastes and odours than others.
Find out more in our Colour, Odour and Taste Explained Factsheet in our Document Hub.
There can be a variety of reasons for people to notice a slight change in the odour or taste of their water. This could include:
- The use of chlorine as a disinfectant
- Seasonal changes
- A change in your water supply
- Moving from one area to another
- Your plumbing
Find out more in our Colour, Odour and Taste Explained Factsheet in our Document Hub.
Some customers describe this as smelling stale or pond like. It can have several sources:
- By-products of algae or harmless micro-organisms in the raw water sources. In areas where we know this is a problem, we treat the water with activated carbon or ozone.
- Long lengths of pipework within large buildings.
If you're ever concerned about the quality of your water, contact us on 0800 0778 778.
