Drinking water is essential for life, but not all water is created equal. In fact, the water you drink can vary significantly in taste, depending on its source.
A reverse osmosis filter is known for its purity and taste. However, many people ask why reverse osmosis water taste funny.
But don’t worry – there are a few things you can do to adjust to the different flavors and make sure you’re getting the most out of your RO water. Keep reading to learn more!
11 known bad tastes of RO water and their reasons
1. Reverse osmosis water metallic taste
Many people note the most common metallic taste in their RO water.
Various metals are in tap water, which isn’t always entirely removed by the RO system.
That is one reason many people choose to buy a pre-water filter for their Best reverse osmosis system – it can catch any metals and impurities before they go through the RO membrane.
2. Reverse osmosis water tastes like plastic
Many have complained that the bad taste of home water is very similar to plastic.
It isn’t too surprising when thinking about it – most plastics, such as those found in bottles and storage containers, don’t taste very good.
But there’s another reason water tastes like plastic – it may be because of the storage container.
While you should always use food-grade containers for your RO water, if you leave it in a glass or plastic container for a long time, the plastic may begin to leach into your drinking water.
If you want to solve these water problems, try switching to a food-grade stainless steel container.
3. Purified water tastes weird
The main reason behind RO purifying water’s unpleasant taste is anything introduced between the source water and the RO membrane.
You should use only clean low-mineral water, so it should not have any organic salt, chemical, or other impurities.
Also, it would help if you used proper storage containers to avoid contamination after water filtration.
4. RO water tastes weird after changing the filter
After changing the RO filter, the taste of water depends on how long it has been since your last chance.
While usually there is no significant difference in water taste, the hard water softeners become less effective, and the water is worse in taste.
It would be best if you changed your filters regularly to make sure you’re getting the best tasting and filtered water supply.
5. Reverse osmosis water has a funny taste like chlorine
How pure your water tastes depends on the source of water you put into it.
If there is a lot of chlorine in the tap water, the RO system can’t remove all of it, and you’ll taste a little bit of that chlorine in the resulting purified bottled water.
One solution is to use a pre-water filter for removing chlorine and other chemicals before it goes through the RO membrane.
6. Reverse osmosis water tastes salty
If the source water is high in magnesium salts, you may be tasting these in your RO water.
The magnesium salt breaks down into hydrogen and bicarbonate ions detectable in your finished water.
You can remove some hydrogen and bicarbonate ions by using a resin filter, but if you still find it too salty for your taste, you can purchase a distilled water filtration system to dilute it.
7. Sulfur Taste/ Rotten Egg Taste
Sulfur taste in water is typical in many areas, mainly where the soil or rock contains sulfur.
It also smells like a rotten egg and usually happens on hot summer days or stored water.
Some people say that reverse osmosis purified water contains a funny sulfur taste, but it is the case in most rare.
The sulfur comes from hydrogen sulfide dissolved in water.
It can be removed by using an activated carbon filter, or you can use a de-ionizing resin to remove the hydrogen sulfate.
8. Tastes Like Regular Tap Water
If your water doesn’t have any other tastes, it’s probably just the pure taste of tap water that has gone through a purification process.
Since all source water has something different, the taste should not be the same.
If you’re getting a filtered water supply of the same taste, try switching brands of water.
If this doesn’t solve your water problems, you may be getting bad-tasting water. Contact your supplier to get a replacement bottle.
9. Why does reverse osmosis water taste funny Sour
Although Reverse Osmosis systems can improve water quality and remove total dissolved solids, lead contaminants, and other heavy metals.
When water tastes sour, that means that it has become acetic acid. It usually happens due to bacteria growth in the RO system.
You can fix this by cleaning your water treatment system.
10. Wet dog
This strange bad taste is associated with livestock tanks that have been cleaned for winter and produce a “bad” taste.
You can reduce this taste by using a hard water softener or flushing the cold-water tap for about 30 seconds to clear out the pipeline.
11. Bitter
The bitter taste is a common water taste problem, which means there is a high amount of chlorine.
Some people find the unpleasant taste of chlorinated water, while others would never know there was chlorine in it because the bitter taste overwhelms other flavors.
Flushing water taps for 30 seconds and using a carbon filter to quickly remove the chlorine taste from the water.
Factors that affect RO water taste
The amount of minerals dissolved in water affects the taste of RO water.
Water filtered by a reverse osmosis system will always be purer than tap water because it removes many minerals found in regular tap water.
Some minerals are beneficial to your health, while others affect how water tastes.
It is possible to improve the taste of RO water by adding minerals back into it, you can also make it as “good” as bottled water.
FAQs
How can you improve the taste of Reverse Osmosis water?
You can improve the taste of reverse osmosis water by using a carbon filter in your system.
The carbon will remove chemicals and metals in tap water, but it won’t remove all of them. In fact, some may be beneficial to health.
However, if you want to use a carbon filter, ensure you only buy one with an activated charcoal element.
Activated charcoal removes chlorine from water, so it’s ideal for improving water taste.
Adding fruit juices or other flavoring agents can also make your water tastier.
You should avoid adding sugar because it will not help improve the taste of your water.
If you add sugar, try choosing a natural sweetener like honey instead of white sugar.
Honey has been shown to have many benefits when used as a food additive. It helps prevent tooth decay, improves digestion, and boosts immunity.
Why does reverse osmosis water have a funny taste?
A reverse osmosis filter can produce bad-tasting water because of the chemicals, impurities, or minerals leftover from the source water.
These factors can create common water taste problems in your water supply.
What you taste may also depend on your personal preference for taste or lack thereof, as well as how pure you want your water to be.
Why does my RO water smell like dryer sheets?
A distinctive odor comes out of the faucet after running it for several seconds, and it tends to vary in intensity.
If you want to get rid of the odors, check your water filter and whole house RO water purifier for possible problems.
Can I drink RO water?
Yes, you can safely drink RO purified water because it has undergone a rigorous water filtration process that ensures it is safe and clean to consume.
Before drinking any un-scented or odorless water, it is always a good idea to run the water for a minute or two to make sure the pipe is clear of sediment.
Why does RO water give me diarrhea?
We know that an RO filter can remove total dissolved solids, lead contaminants, other heavy metals, zinc, and chlorine and improve water quality.
But, diarrhea can occur when you drink RO purified water because your body isn’t used to drinking such pure and clean water.
It would be best if you had some time to get used to drinking water.
How do I stop my RO water from smelling like chlorine?
To remove the smell of chlorine, flush your cold-water tap for 30 seconds or more.
If you want an even better solution, try using a carbon filter on the faucet with activated carbon in it.
Alternatively, you can call your water treatment system specialist to test your water and see what’s causing the problem.
Conclusion
Now you may know why does reverse osmosis water taste funny.
Sometimes a simple change in water softeners or a system flush may correct the problem.
If it doesn’t, you should consider alternative sources of home water.