Funny Taste / Smell

Why Does My Water Taste or Smell Funny?

Our ability to taste and smell is amazing. When it comes to detecting tastes and odors, humans are better at it than even most modern technology. Your sensitivity will vary depending on genetics, age, and exposure, but it is not unusual for humans to detect variations in air and water up to parts per trillion.

Unusual tastes or odors in water are usually caused by organic materials and compounds found naturally in the river source water. Taste and odor issues most commonly occur in the spring and fall, when temperature swings can cause the water to "turn over" and bring up sediment from the river bottom. Odd tastes and smells can also naturally occur when algae and other river plants bloom. Although plant material is removed during our multi-barrier treatment process, odors can sometimes persist.

At WaterOne, we continuously monitor and adjust our treatment process to ensure our water is pure and consistent. Even so, your nose may be able to detect the subtleties - some more pleasing than others. Most issues with taste and odor are aesthetic and not harmful, but we do take steps to address them. If your water taste or odor is concerning you, we'd like to hear from you.

Let Us Know

Call WaterOne Customer Service at 913-895-1800 to report a taste or odor concern. This chart is a useful conversation guide to help our customers describe what they are experiencing.