RO water is typically described as somewhat acidic and shallow by most people. The absence of minerals in RO water is the cause of its unpleasant taste. Minerals, pollutants, and microbes naturally present in drinking water are filtered out when water flows through the semipermeable membrane, resulting in clean water.
Reverse osmosis systems, on the other hand, maybe unable to remove dissolved pollutants. It has an impact on the flavor of the water. In this blog article, you`ll discover some of the problems we’re having with RO water flavor.
Chemicals, salts, metals, bacteria, and pollutants tend to get contaminated when they come into touch with it. Most of the pipes that bring tap water into your home are underground. There are many different kinds of bad-tasting RO water.
Factors That Affect RO Water Taste
Copper Tubing
Your reverse osmosis system’s copper piping may be to blame for the metallic taste. It might also be caused by excessive TDS (Total Dissolved Solid) levels in the water, which are often chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonates.
To address this particular issue, you can combat the pH problem by replacing your filter or choosing an RO system that returns certain minerals in the filtration process, which in turn can be beneficial for pH. So be sure to look into RO systems that are capable of doing this.
Carbon Dioxide Levels
The quantity of carbon dioxide that dissolves raises the acidity (or decreases the pH) of your water, resulting in a bitter flavor.
If you notice acidity or saltiness when you drink reverse osmosis water, it is a clear indication that the level of carbon dioxide in reverse osmosis water is elevated. Unlike the previous problem, this means that the pH of the water is too high.
Sulfur Content
Because of the water’s high sulfur concentration. The reverse osmosis system does not always remove the sulfur content due to malfunctioning filters and membranes. Reverse osmosis water also smells like rotten eggs after a long time of idleness and insufficient disinfection.
Dissolved Salts And Solids
The dissolved salts and solids (TDS) in water give it a salty flavor. A faulty RO system fails to remove TDS from water, resulting in a salty, sour flavor.
Damaged RO Membrane
This indicates that the RO membrane is broken, damaged, or deteriorated. Therefore it is needed to be changed immediately.
The rotten taste of reverse osmosis water is caused by a failure of the reverse osmosis system. The filters, membranes, and other components of the reverse osmosis system deteriorate over time. Even without regular cleaning and disinfection of the reverse osmosis system, the water tastes terrible. The semipermeable membrane should be replaced every two years. It is important that RO service is provided every 3 months.
Expired RO Filter
Expired filters are one of the most common causes of poor taste in household water. It doesn’t matter when you bought the filter. Therefore, replacement is a better option. Before catching the trap, the reverse osmosis filter collects, corrects, or filters bacteria and contaminants that enter the water supply.
After 2 months, 6 months, or 6 years, the filter may be covered with bacteria. Bacteria impair their optimal function and become a Petri dish in which all other impurities and these highly contaminated contaminants spread. Anything you want to keep away from your home can be put into the water supply.
How Can I Make Reverse Osmosis Water Taste Better?
Calcium gives reverse osmosis water a milky flavor, similar to water without reverse osmosis but without salt. Adding powdered or liquid drink mixes, as well as a little fruit juice, will give a taste without the chemicals.
It’s actually very simple: adding the flavors you desire to RO water will not only enhance the taste of RO water, but the flavors added will taste even better because your reverse osmosis system has eliminated the majority of the solids dissolved in the water.
Here are a few ideas to make your RO water taste much better plus it adds a bit of flavor as well:
- Add an inline carbon filter
- Add a calcium cartridge
- Having an alkalinization stage for your RO system
- Electrolyte blends or trace mineral supplement drops
- Mineralized sea salt
- Alkaline water filter pitcher
- Green tea or herbs
- Flavored ice cubes made with reverse osmosis water
- Just a few drops of liquid flavoring
- Individual flavor packets
- Antacid tablets
- Dissolvable mints
Why Does Some RO Water Taste Bad?
I think you understand well that you can’t taste RO water and its taste. Reverse osmosis is the process of removing unwanted contaminants from tap water, so there is no unwanted salty or metallic flavor that can occur in raw water.
The reverse osmosis process removes most of the sodium from the water to give it a salty taste, magnesium makes the water bitter, and calcium gives the water a milky white taste, so the reverse osmosis water has a very pure flavor which many would consider bad tasting. Mainly because they are not used to it.
The use of a reverse osmosis water system is highly recommended, and many brands choose to use it, but that does not mean that the water will have a completely pure flavor. The majority of dissolved sediments, chemicals, and pollutants have been eliminated from RO water, thus it has a mild flavor. However, there are factors that can give reverse osmosis water an unexpected taste. Water from different sources has different flavors because it has different dissolved minerals.
Why Does Some Reverse Osmosis Water Smell Bad?
Standing water, also known as stagnant water, is water that has been left standing for an extended period of time. Standing water is an ideal breeding environment for biofilms or a collection of bacteria or fungus because it lacks movement and aeration. Bad scents can come from stagnant water.
Many gases pass through the reverse osmosis membrane, including hydrogen sulfide, the gas that gives rotting eggs their odor. If the feed water has undesirable scents, they pass through the barrier and contaminate the product water. Decomposition of planktonic animals caught in the marine screen and pre-filters is often the cause of the stench. When the device is turned off, these little oxygen-hungry animals choke and die in the pre-filter housings.
Anaerobic bacteria begin to proliferate and generate the stink once all of the available oxygen has been used up. When a commonly used item malfunctions, it’s important to act quickly.
The pre-filters are to blame if a frequently used appliance begins to produce unpleasant water. These bacteria can move through the water maker and begin to develop on the membrane, resulting in poor water quality and increased supply pressure.
FAQs
Why Does Reverse Osmosis Water Taste Funny?
The pleasant flavor might be described as metallic, which is generally indicative of a high iron content or a low pH. If you’ve ever had a reverse osmosis system installed for your drinking water and noticed a metallic odor or taste, it might be an indication that your reverse osmosis water isn’t balanced properly (low pH).
Why Does Reverse Osmosis Water Smell Fishy?
Chloramine is a chlorine-ammonia chemical that is used to cleanse public water sources like municipal water. Unfortunately, this might leave the water with an unpleasant fishy odor.
Install a reverse osmosis filter, the most efficient technique of eliminating impurities from tap water, to get rid of the odor. A charcoal filter can also be added to improve the scent and flavor.