Most people don't spend a lot of time thinking about the smell of their water. It is assumed that water has no odor. Indeed it does. In many cases your water will smell chemical. This is due to the chemicals added in the sewage treatment plant. Chlorine is added to kill bacteria and other organisms in the water, fluoride is added to increase bone and tooth strength. After a while, you may not even notice these smells at all. Unless you want to put water filters under the sink that will remove those chemicals and get rid of the odors. The lack of smell is actually noticeable.
However, there are other times when the smell is more pungent. It can even occur if you have a water filter installed. In this case, you will need to conduct further research to identify and resolve the problem.
Water tests
It is a good idea to test your water quality first. You may find that your water has a problem and this will give you an idea of what is wrong with the water and what could be causing the odor. If the test reveals an abnormality that you don't know how to affect the smell of water, speak to a professional who will be happy to help.
Check drains
Another possibility is that it is not the water that smells, but the drains. You can check this by pouring a glass of water and then moving away from the sink. When the odor goes away, it comes out of the sink indicating a problem that needs to be investigated. If the smell persists, it has something to do with your water. If the odor is coming from the drains, you likely have a partially clogged drain and the collected food waste is beginning to smell. The sooner you clear this up, the better.
Sewage system
Assuming you shut out the drains and blame the water, you need to look at the plumbing system. Corrosion on the inside of pipes can affect the smell, taste, and even color of your water. You need to visually check your pipes to check this. Pay special attention to the joints. Alternatively, you can let the water run for a few minutes to see if the odor goes away. If it stays, it has something to do with the incoming water supply.
Check with your neighbors
Once you've decided this has something to do with the incoming supply, you need to speak to your neighbors to see if they are suffering from the same problem. If so, you need to take it a step further and speak to the water authority to see if there's an issue they haven't told you about. If your neighbors aren't having the same problem, at least you've narrowed it down to your plumbing system! At this point, it is advisable to contact an expert to locate the problem and fix it. Although a filter will help make the water potable, it is better to properly correct the problem.
