When water that once tasted refreshing suddenly becomes unpalatable, it can be a surprising and unsettling experience. This abrupt change in taste can stem from a variety of sources, ranging from subtle shifts within an individual’s body to alterations in the water supply itself or even issues within the home’s plumbing system. Understanding the potential origins of this altered taste can help in identifying and addressing the specific cause.
Changes Within Your Body
How water tastes can change due to shifts in your health or physiological state. When the body is dehydrated, saliva production can decrease, making the mouth feel dry and altering taste perception, sometimes leading to a salty or bitter sensation from water. Illnesses such as the common cold, flu, or sinus infections can significantly impact the sense of smell, linked to taste perception, causing water to taste bland or unpleasant. Digestive issues, such as acid reflux, can also contribute to a bitter taste in the mouth that affects beverages.
Various medications, including certain antibiotics, antidepressants, and blood pressure drugs, can induce dysgeusia, an altered taste sensation. This can manifest as a metallic, bitter, or unusual taste in the mouth, affecting water taste. Poor oral hygiene or dental issues (e.g., gingivitis, periodontitis, recent dental work) can introduce bacteria or other substances, leading to an off-putting taste that affects water’s flavor. Hormonal fluctuations during early pregnancy are another common cause for altered taste perception, often resulting in a metallic taste in their mouths. Taste buds can also undergo temporary changes due to illness or age-related shifts in sensitivity.
Issues With Your Water Source
Water’s changed taste can originate from the municipal water supply or environmental factors outside the home. Public water utilities occasionally adjust their treatment processes, which can involve varying levels of disinfectants like chlorine or chloramine. An increase in these levels, particularly chlorine, can impart a distinct chemical or bleach-like taste to the water. Utilities might also switch to a different water source, which naturally possesses a unique mineral composition or organic matter, leading to a noticeable change in taste.
Aging public water infrastructure can also contribute to taste issues. Older water mains, especially those made of iron, lead, or galvanized steel, can corrode over time, releasing metallic particles into the water that result in a rusty, bitter, or metallic flavor. When water main breaks occur, repairs can stir up sediment and introduce dirt, rust, or even disinfectants used during the repair process into the water supply, causing temporary taste and odor problems. Environmental factors also play a role; for instance, algae blooms in reservoirs during warmer months can produce organic compounds like geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) that impart earthy, musty, or moldy tastes to the water.
Factors Within Your Home
Problems within your home’s plumbing and appliances can affect water taste, even if the municipal supply is pristine. Old or corroding pipes within your house (e.g., galvanized steel, copper) can leach minerals or metals like iron, zinc, or copper into the water, resulting in metallic or bitter flavors. Issues with your water heater, such as sediment buildup or a failing anode rod, can cause a sulfurous “rotten egg” smell and taste, particularly in hot water. Water filters, while designed to improve taste, can become a source of problems if they are expired, clogged, or improperly installed. An old filter may cease to effectively remove impurities, releasing trapped contaminants or allowing bacterial growth, leading to a stale or unpleasant taste.
Water softeners, if not regenerating properly or if they develop a “salt bridge” (a crust of salt that prevents proper dissolution), can alter the water’s mineral balance and potentially increase its sodium content, which can be perceived as a salty taste. Ice in your freezer can also absorb odors from other foods or harbor mold/bacteria in ice maker lines if not regularly cleaned. Even the container used to drink water can contribute to taste changes; plastic bottles can leach chemicals, especially when exposed to heat or reused, and dirty reusable bottles or glasses with residual soap can impart unwanted flavors.
What to Do Next
If water suddenly tastes unappealing, a systematic approach can help identify the cause and find a solution. Begin by considering any recent changes in your health, such as new medications, a recent illness, or significant life events like pregnancy, as these can directly affect your taste perception. Evaluate your oral hygiene practices and check for any dental issues that might contribute to an altered taste in your mouth.
Next, investigate factors within your home by checking water from different faucets and observing if the taste issue is present in both hot and cold water. Ensure that any water filters in your refrigerator, pitcher, or whole-house system are not expired and are properly installed, replacing them if necessary.
If the problem persists and seems widespread, contact your local water utility for information on treatment changes, maintenance, or main issues. If you suspect a health-related cause and the altered taste persists or is accompanied by other symptoms, consult a healthcare professional to rule out underlying medical conditions. Regardless of the cause, staying hydrated remains important; if tap water is unpalatable, consider using a filtered water pitcher or adding natural flavor enhancers like lemon or cucumber slices.