Q.My water tastes really bad, what is causing this and how can they be removed?

A. Various odours and tastes may be present in water. They can be traced to many conditions. Unfortunately, the causes of bad taste and odour problems in water are so many; it is impossible to suggest a single treatment that would be universally effective in controlling these problems.

Tastes are generally classified in four groups - sour, salt, sweet and bitter. Odours possess many classifications. There are 20 of them commonly used and they are further classify terms of their intensity from very faint, faint, distinct and decided to very strong. If you are conscious of a distinct odour, without specifically seeking for such, the water is in need of treatment.

In many cases, it is difficult to detect what constitutes a taste or an odour. The reason is obvious. Both the taste buds and olfactory organs work so effectively as a team, it is hard to realize where one leaves off and the other begins.