It’s no mystery that tap water isn’t always the best tasting water available. This is where the 200-billion-dollar bottled water industry comes from after all. You can save yourself from spending hundreds on water bottles throughout the year as well as sending those bottles to the landfill by doing a few things to improve the quality of your drinking water. Read our guide below to learn more.
Install a Filtration System
Your tap water comes from a groundwater supply somewhere else in your town. While it is treated before it reaches your home, the pipes it flows through aren’t always the cleanest. These particles and contaminants can make their way into your pipes and coming out your tap. This is often why tap water doesn’t have the same fresh taste as what you’ll get from bottled water or a drinking fountain at an office building. Have you noticed that the water from the tap on your refrigerator tastes better than the tap? It’s because it’s all filtered.
You can install a filtration system that thoroughly cleans your water before it ever makes its way into your glass. This will help with the overall taste of a cold glass of water and improve the taste of food that you boil in tap water.
Clean Faucet Aerators
Have you ever paid attention to what water looks like as it flows into a glass from your kitchen faucet? It comes in bubbly and almost fizzy but settles down after a few seconds. This is the result of the tiny screen on the faucet, which is called the faucet aerator. The aerator is the last night of defense against particulates that might be flowing through your water pipes. As contaminants build up in this screen, it can affect how your water tastes. You can take these off and clean them by soaking them in vinegar overnight, then remove loosened deposits with a toothpick. Rinse the aerator again before putting it on and it should help with the taste of your water.
Install a Water Softener System
We’ve already established that water particles are often what taints the taste of your tap water. One way you can combat the presence of particles in your water is by installing a water softener system. This will remove some of those particles before they get to your tap so you have much softer and smoother water than doesn’t have suspended minerals that make your water taste salty or stale.
If you’re concerned about the life of such a system and are thinking, “How long do water softeners last?” You can feel confident that your water softener system will last 10 to 15 years with proper maintenance.
Check Your Plumbing
Foul smells and bad water can be a combination that makes you want to use bottled water for everything. If your water tastes awful and has a detectible odor, you could have something wrong with your plumbing. Have a plumber come to examine your drains to see if you have some kind of blockage or leak that’s tainting your water.
Drains that change the taste of water are not uncommon in older homes as you could have pipes that have started to corrode. This not only affects the taste of the water but puts your home at risk for leaks.
Use a Filter
There are a variety of filters that you can use to clean your water before you drink it. We mentioned a filtration system earlier. You can get a small, affordable filter that’s easy to fill up every day or two and put in your fridge. This not only makes for clean drinking water when you want it, but you also have cold, refreshing water and demand. It’s typical for these types of filters to hold five gallons of water or less, depending on what you buy. They’re designed to easily fit in your fridge without being too cumbersome.
Maintain Your Septic Tank
Your septic tank has a finite amount of space that it’s able to fill up before it becomes a problem. If your septic tank system isn’t properly maintained, it can overflow and leak into the groundwater surrounding the system. This will cause particles and contaminants to get into your water as well, which will ultimately lead to a terrible taste straight from the faucet. If you’re concerned that your septic system is having problems, have an expert come to your home right away to inspect it.
Don’t Use Hot Water
Before we get too deep into this one, let’s clarify that you shouldn’t use hot water for drinking or cooking. This is because warm water helps to keep your pipes clean by removing chemicals from the surface and dissolving sediment. When you turn on your hot water, these particles will move along with the water and come out of the faucet. This can taint the way your water tastes if you’re using hot water straight from the faucet to cook. If you like to drink warm water with tea, cocoa, or anything else, heat it in a tea kettle or a pot.