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Taste & Odor Water Issues in Maryland, DC & Northern VA

Causes of bad tasting water or water with odors

Chlorine, Chloramines, Chlorine Dioxide

How to Identify
Bleach smell or taste

Geosmin, 2-Methyl Isoborneol

How to Identify
Earthy, dirt odor
Musty, wet mulch odor

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether

How to Identify
Solvent, petroleum taste/odor

Hydrogen Sulfide

How to Identify
Rotten egg smell

Iron

How to Identify
Metallic taste
Rust color

Manganese

How to Identify
Metallic taste
Brown/black color
Staining of tubs and other services

Minerals (TDS) & Metals Hardness

How to Identify
Salty/bitter taste

Chlorides

How to Identify
Salty/mineral taste

Sulfate

How to Identify
Salty/mineral taste

Corrosion Products: Aluminum, Copper, Zinc, Suspended Iron

How to Identify
Cloudy water
Metallic taste
Green or blue color
Rust/metallic taste
Rust color

PH

How to Identify
pH < 6.5: acidic/bitter taste
pH > 8.5: alkaline/slippery taste-feel

Potentional Harmful Effects of Bad Tasting or Smelling Water

Chlorine

  • Mouth/skin irritation
  • Disinfection byproducts (TTHMs, HAA5s, etc.) can be carcinogenic

Geosmin/MIB

  • None documented

Chlorophenols

  • Carcinogenic
  • Liver/kidney damage

MTBE

  • None documented at < 0.04 mg/L (USEPA)

Petroleum Products: Benzene, Xylenes

  • Anemia
  • Carcinogenic
  • Nervous system damage

Copper

  • Gastrointestinal distress
  • Liver/kidney damage
  • Wilson’s disease

Sulfate

  • Laxative effects

Overall Poor Taste/Odor

  • Indirectly may contribute to dehydration due to low consumption of water

pH < 6.5

  • Corrosion by-products (lead, copper, etc.)
National Water Service: Warning Signs In Your House Water

Treatment Options for Bad Tasting and Smelly Water

Reverse Osmosis
Chemical Feeder
Water Softener
Acid Neutralizer
Activated Carbon
IBSB (Iron Breaker/Sulfur Breaker)
Multi-Media Filtration
Carbon Filtration
Aeration
KX Pro
More Info from WSA
Contact Us for a FREE Basic Water Quality Test
City Water In-Home Water Treatment. A Reverse Osmosis For Up Too 99.9% Contaminant Free Cooking &Amp; Drinking Water, A Water Softener For Hard Water And A Carbon Tank
Solution Feeder
A Water Softener, A Sediment Filter, An Acid Neutralizer, A Multimedia Tank, A Reverse Osmosis And A Pressure Tank
Ozone Filter System
Carbon Tank For The Remediation Of Cancer Causing Radon In Water, A Water Softener For Hard Hard Water, A Sediment Filter And An Iron Breaker/Sulfur Breaker Tank