Water is such an important part of our lives, and for many of us, the water from our taps is something we could never live without. However, lots of people are unhappy with the taste of the water from their taps, which could be holding them back from drinking as much as they should.
In the UK, we enjoy some of the safest tap water found anywhere in the world. Yet there are plenty of reasons why your tap water might taste below par. Thankfully, there are also many easy fixes to get you drinking happily again, including water filters.
Why Might Your Tap Water Taste Bad?
Tap water in the UK can pick up a variety of tastes despite very often being perfectly safe for the average person to drink. Different tastes usually indicate different sources of the problem.
If your water has a metallic taste, this could be due to it being sat in your pipework for an extended period. Many people can experience this first thing in the morning, for example.
Your tap water may have a stronger chlorine taste if you’re located closer to a water treatment plant. This taste can also become more intense when the weather gets cold (because the chlorine doesn’t break up as quickly) or during peak times.
Some people also don’t like the taste of hard water, which is a natural occurrence in many homes across the country.
Short-Term Fixes for Improved Tap Water
If there’s a sudden change in the quality of your tap water, this could indicate a more substantial fault in your waterworks which may need investigating. However, if you find yourself simply wanting a quick fix to improve the quality of your drinking water, here are some popular things to try.
Run the Tap First
If you notice that your water sometimes has a rusty or metallic taste, this is a great first step to try.
Letting your taps run for a few seconds before filling your glass or bottle allows the pipes to flush through any water that may have sat in there for a while. If that’s the issue, you should notice the water that comes afterwards is much more palatable.
Let it Rest for a Few Hours
This point is great if your water has a slightly chemical taste or smell.
As part of the water treatment process, various chemicals (most commonly chlorine) are added in small doses to the water before it reaches our taps. Sometimes, as mentioned above, we can experience higher doses of these chemicals that create unpleasant tastes or odours.
Many of the disinfecting chemicals in water naturally evaporate over time. Therefore, leaving water in a bottle or jug for a few hours can give them time to dissipate, making the water more pleasant.
Be careful not to leave water too long, otherwise bacteria can appear in place of the disinfectants. Leaving water in a fridge overnight is fine, but make sure to replace any water after 24 hours.
Add Cucumber and Mint to Reduce Smell
Of course, a tried and tested way to improve the taste of water is to add flavourings like juices. However, there are particular things you can add to provide different taste benefits.
Cucumber water has been a popular health drink for generations, particularly thanks to its B vitamins. However, B vitamins are also notable for reducing some of the smells that can come from tap water.
Combine cucumber with mint to create a crisp and refreshing drink that is free from some of the strong odours associated with tap water.
Add Citrus to Soften the Taste
If you’re unhappy with the taste of your water, one of the best things to try is adding citrus fruits like lemons and limes.
Lemons in particular are a natural water softener. If you struggle with the taste of hard water, or you have a particularly strong chlorine taste in your water, adding lemon slices can really make a difference.
Similarly to cucumber water, adding citrus fruits can also be a nice way of adding more healthy vitamins to your diet.
Long-Term Fix: Use a Water Filter
Of course, instead of having to worry about leaving water overnight or keeping your kitchen stacked with fruits, we would all love to rely on our taps delivering great-tasting water every time.
Tap water filters remove any impurities from your water at source, allowing you to enjoy crystal-clear or ultra-pure water on demand. Often, having a tap filter installed will be more cost-effective than alternatives such as boiling water at home or buying bottled water.
Kinetico’s innovative technology and decades of customer experience have helped people across the UK enjoy the highest quality water throughout their homes. For more information on our water filters and softeners, browse our range or contact our team today.
