I don like the taste/smell/appearance of my tap water. Whats wrong with it?
A. Even when water meets EPA’s standards, you may still object to its taste, smell, or appearance. EPA sets secondary standards based on these aesthetic characteristics (not health effects) which water systems and states can choose to adopt. Common complaints about water aesthetics include temporary cloudiness (typically caused by air bubbles) or chlorine taste (which can be improved by letting the water stand exposed to the air). For advice on other water quality problems you can feel, smell, taste, or see, see a chart of signs of common water quality problems.
A. Taste smell and appearance are good indicators of possible contaminants. Many of these systems are indicators of biological contaminants. They can also be associates with other heavy metal or organic pollutions. If you notice that your water has an offensive taste, smell, or appearance then you should notify your certified water laboratory. It would be wise to buy a test kit and test your water immediately.
