Water Quality

A very small amount of chlorine is added to your water during the final stage of the treatment process and ensures that the quality of your drinking water is maintained as it travels through the network to your tap.  It acts as a disinfectant and a small residual amount is usually present in the water that comes out of your tap.  Although you may sometimes be able to smell or taste the chlorine it is perfectly harmless in such small quantities and there is nothing wrong with the water.

An easy way to help reduce or remove the taste of the chlorine is to fill a clean jug with tap water and keep it in the fridge.  Not only will the chilled water taste better, it will also gradually lose the chlorine smell or taste.  Make sure the jug is kept covered to avoid other strong smells within the fridge tainting the water, and be sure to discard the water after 24 hours.

This often tends to be more of a problem during warm, sunny weather.  This is because the naturally occurring algae living in our raw, stored water can 'bloom' whereby they are able to multiply very rapidly.  The water treatment process removes the algae but unfortunately when they die they can impart a harmless, but sometimes unpleasant, musty or earthy taste to the water which isn't removed entirely through treatment.  We do monitor the raw water quality closely to try to prevent these algal blooms before they can have an effect on the taste of drinking water and we use a range of techniques, such as blending water from different sources, to help to minimise the impact for our customers.  Filling a clean jug with tap water and keeping it in the fridge may help to make your water taste better.  Make sure the jug is kept covered to avoid other strong smells within the fridge tainting the water, and be sure to discard the water after 24 hours.

Another possible cause of earthy, musty tasting water are the black plastic pipes commonly used in the 1960s and 1970s to connect water to your home.  These pipes have alkathene in them, which can give your water a musty taste or smell.  This is not harmful and flushing the taps for a few minutes before drinking will clear any water that's been standing in your pipes and may help to improve the taste.  Of course, in the long run, you may only be able to get rid of the taste by replacing your pipework.

A fuel leak or spill can, over time, contaminate water in plastic pipework.  If you notice that your water smells or tastes of fuel or diesel please contact us as soon as possible on tel 229500 or by emailing customer.service@water.gg

Some people describe the taste of chlorine as metallic.  For advice on the taste and smell of chlorine, please see 'your water tastes or smells of chlorine or disinfectant' above.

A metallic or bitter taste can also be associated with increased concentrations of metals such as copper or zinc commonly found in domestic plumbing systems.  The problem can often be resolved by running the cold kitchen tap for several minutes drawing in fresh water from the mains and clearing the standing water in your system.  You should notice a drop in water temperature once the fresh water is coming through.

Plastic pipework and plastic kettles can be the cause of your water tasting or smelling of plastic.  Try running the cold kitchen tap for several minutes to draw in fresh water from the mains and to clear the standing water in your system before using the water.  Using fresh water every time you boil your kettle may also help.  If you try boiling some water in a clean saucepan and it tastes fine, this may point to your plastic kettle being the problem, particularly if it's new.  You should also ensure that all your drinking water fittings are Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) approved.