My water tastes or smells funny

Find out what to do if your water tastes or smells different to usual. 

Water coming out of a tap - what t do if it tastes or smells funny

What does your water taste or smell of?

Mum bathing little girl

Soil

Water can taste or smell musty or earthy if your water is hard or when hot pipes come into contact with cold pipes. 

Causes and fixes for musty water

Heron

Chlorine 

Chlorine is a vital part of water treatment and safety but your drinking water shouldn't taste or smell like a swimming pool. 

Causes and fixes for chlorine

Little boy looking into washing machine

Metals

A metallic or bitter smell or taste in water can be caused by metal pipework or the hardness of your water. 

Causes and fixes for metallic water

Chemicals in water

Chemicals

If your water tastes a bit like medicine or TCP, chances are it's coming from rubber or plastic components in your kettle, tap or dishwasher. 

Causes and fixes for chemicals

Sewage 

Where your water smells eggy or like drainage or sewage, you should contact us straightaway and not drink it. 

Causes and contacts for sewage

Little boy looking into washing machine

Fuel 

If your water tastes or smells of petrol or diesel, it's important that you contact us straightaway and don't drink it. 

Causes and contacts for fuel