Bad Taste or Odor in Water
Updated February 20, 2026
Water that tastes or smells off -- chlorine, rotten eggs, metallic, musty -- has a specific cause for each type. Identifying what it tastes or smells like is the fastest path to the right fix.
Overview
Your water's taste and smell tell you exactly what is in it. Chlorine taste? Municipal disinfection -- safe but unpleasant. Rotten egg smell? Hydrogen sulfide from the water heater anode rod, sulfate-reducing bacteria, or the supply itself. Metallic? Dissolved iron, copper, or manganese from corroding pipes or mineral content. Musty or earthy? Algae or organics in the source water. Chemical or solvent smell? Test immediately. First diagnostic step: does it affect only hot water, only cold, or both? Hot only points to the water heater. Both means it is in the supply.
Symptoms
- Chlorine, bleach, or swimming pool taste -- common with municipal water, especially when the utility increases disinfectant levels seasonally
- Rotten egg smell (sulfur) -- hydrogen sulfide gas. Hot water only? Anode rod. Both hot and cold? The supply water itself.
- Metallic, bitter, or coppery taste -- dissolved metals from corroding pipes or high iron/manganese in well water
- Musty, earthy, or dirt taste -- algae compounds (geosmin, MIB) in the reservoir or well. Safe but unpleasant.
- Chemical, gasoline, or solvent smell -- potential health concern. Test immediately. Can indicate industrial runoff, pesticides, or fuel leaks.
- Only noticeable first thing in the morning or after water sits for hours -- metals leaching from the pipes, not the source water
Common Causes
- Chlorine or chloramine from municipal treatment -- utilities add it to disinfect. Safe at regulated levels, but some people taste it. Chloramine (chlorine + ammonia) is harder to filter out than plain chlorine. Levels can spike seasonally when the utility flushes the system.
- Hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell) -- three sources. The magnesium anode rod in the water heater reacting with sulfates (hot water only). Sulfate-reducing bacteria in well water. Or naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide in groundwater, especially wells near shale or petroleum deposits.
- Dissolved metals from corroding pipes -- copper pipes leach copper (blue-green tint, metallic taste), especially with acidic water or standing water. Galvanized pipes release iron and zinc. Lead from older solder or service lines has no taste but is a serious health concern. High iron/manganese in well water produces metallic taste without pipe corrosion.
- Algae in source water -- geosmin and MIB compounds cause an earthy, musty taste detectable at extremely low concentrations. Harmless but persistent. Most common late summer and early fall when algae blooms peak.
- Bacterial contamination in well water -- coliform, E. coli, or sulfate-reducing bacteria. A health risk that requires shock chlorination, source identification, and potentially ongoing UV or chlorine treatment.
What You'll Need
How to Fix It
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Identify the Taste or Odor Type and Source
Run cold water 2-3 minutes, smell and taste. Then hot water, same thing. Hot only? Water heater (anode rod). Both? Supply water. Note when it is worst: morning (pipe leaching), all the time (supply), or seasonal (algae/utility changes). Characterize it: chlorine, rotten egg, metallic, earthy, or chemical. Each one points to a different cause.
Tip: Fill a clean glass, step away from the sink, and smell it. Drain odors can mix with and mask the water smell. If the smell is from the drain, not the water, you have a drain problem, not a water quality problem. -
Address Chlorine or Chloramine Taste
Simplest fix: point-of-use carbon filter. Pitcher (Brita, PUR, $20-40), faucet-mount ($20-35), or whole-house carbon filter on the main line ($150-500). Chloramine is harder to remove than chlorine -- you need catalytic carbon, not standard. Check your utility's report to see which they use.
Tip: Leaving a pitcher uncovered in the fridge for a few hours lets chlorine dissipate naturally. Does not work for chloramine, which is more stable and needs filtration. -
Address Rotten Egg Smell (Hydrogen Sulfide)
Hot water only? The magnesium anode rod is reacting with sulfates. Replace it with aluminum-zinc alloy (no reaction) or a powered anode rod (electrical current, no sacrificial metal). Both hot and cold? Supply water issue. Well water: shock chlorinate the well to kill sulfate-reducing bacteria. For ongoing treatment, install an oxidizing filter or aeration system to strip the hydrogen sulfide.
Tip: Do not remove the anode rod to fix the smell -- it protects the tank from corrosion. Without it, the tank rusts and fails early. Replace with a compatible alternative, never just remove. -
Address Metallic Taste
Run cold water 3-5 minutes. Taste diminishes? Metals are leaching from the pipes (worst after sitting overnight). Taste persists? Source water has high mineral content. Pipe leaching: flush before drinking, long-term consider repiping if galvanized. High iron/manganese in well water: iron filter (oxidizing, greensand, or birm). General metallic taste on municipal: reverse osmosis removes virtually all dissolved metals.
Tip: Suspect lead (pre-1986 home with lead solder or service line)? Lead is tasteless -- you cannot detect it. Get a certified lab test. Many utilities and health departments offer free or low-cost lead testing. -
Address Musty or Earthy Taste
Harmless but persistent. Activated carbon filtration is the most effective -- pitcher filter or whole-house carbon. Whole-house with longer contact time removes more than a small pitcher. Seasonal (summer/fall) on municipal water? It typically resolves as the algae bloom subsides. Contact your utility to confirm they know about it.
Tip: Earthy taste from only one faucet? May be bacterial growth in that faucet's aerator or supply line. Remove and clean the aerator, flush the line. -
Test the Water and Choose a Treatment System
For anything persistent, test the water. Municipal: start with the annual Consumer Confidence Report (free from your utility). Well: certified lab test for bacteria, pH, iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, hardness, and regional contaminants. Match treatment to results: carbon filter for chlorine/organics, iron/sulfur filter for well metals and H2S, reverse osmosis for comprehensive removal, UV for bacteria, or a combo system.
Tip: Under-sink RO system ($150-400) is the most comprehensive point-of-use treatment. Removes chlorine, chloramine, metals, sulfates, nitrates, and most contaminants. It wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon filtered, so best for drinking water, not whole-house.
When to Call a Pro
Call a water treatment specialist if you detect a chemical or solvent smell (test immediately -- possible contamination), if well water tests positive for coliform or E. coli, if you need a whole-house system designed and installed, if the rotten egg smell persists after anode rod replacement and shock chlorination, or if you want a full assessment for your specific water chemistry.
Prevention Tips
- Well water: test annually for bacteria, pH, iron, and hardness at minimum. Broader panel every 3-5 years.
- Municipal water: read the annual Consumer Confidence Report. Free from your utility. Tells you what is in your water and at what levels.
- Replace carbon filter cartridges on schedule (every 2-6 months). An exhausted filter stops removing contaminants and can release captured ones back into the water.
- Flush pipes 2-3 minutes in the morning before drinking or cooking, especially with older pipes. Clears standing water that has been leaching metals overnight.
- Sulfur smell in hot water? Switch the anode rod to aluminum-zinc or powered before it gets worse.
- After plumbing work, water main repair, or extended absence, flush all faucets several minutes before drinking.