RO water tastes bad

Clover Dane

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RO Water Tastes Bad

Most people have the wrong concept about the RO water tastes bad. The reverse osmosis water is free from harmful contaminants. Every kind of water contains different minerals. The minerals are one of the purposes for the various flavors of the water. Some minerals give a bad taste. After the process of filtration, all minerals will always remain in the water.

Also, the bad taste of water is the issue of filters and membranes. When you know about such kinds of problems, you can easily remove them. At last, the water taste becomes good.

Not all reverse osmosis water will taste the same

The reverse osmosis water for drinking is the best recommendation. It also does not mean that the taste of water is completely pure. It eliminates a large number of bad contaminants from the water. On the other hand, water with different sources contains different minerals and impurities. So, the system doesn’t need to remove all contaminants. The water with different minerals will taste different from one another.

Why does my reverse osmosis water taste bad?

A reverse osmosis system is great for removing most unwanted contaminants. Such kinds of pollutants are the reason for bad taste. But the reverse osmosis is not able to eliminate all kinds of contaminants. The remaining contaminants are the reason for the bad-tasting of the water. During the filtration process, it affects the level of minerals. As a result, it will also change the taste of the water.

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Five known bad tastes of RO water

There are five primary bad tastes of the water by the reverse osmosis system. The output water from the reverse osmosis may sometimes lead to bad taste. The bad taste is also in different taste. Each bad taste is different from the other. Not all reverse osmosis needs to produce the same type of bad taste. Below are the most common bad tastes of the RO water:

RO Water Tastes Bad

1. Metallic taste

The first bad taste of the RO water is the metallic taste. The metallic taste is because of the corrosion and rusting of the copper tube. The reverse osmosis system contains copper tubing. Also, there is copper piping in the houses. The corrosion of copper tube and pipe leads towards the metallic taste in the filtered water.

Further, when there is a high amount of dissolved solids in the water, it tastes metallic. The dissolved solids include sulfates, chlorides, and bicarbonates, etc.

By using the TDS meter, you can quickly know about the quantity of the dissolved solids.

2. Bitter taste

The second bad taste of the water is the bitter taste. The bitter taste is due to the more concentration of carbon dioxide. The high amount of carbon dioxide enhances the pH level of water. When the pH of the water increases, then the taste of the water becomes bitter. The bitter taste is bad and not great for drinking.

3. Rotten egg taste & smell

The third bad taste of the RO water is the rotten egg with a bad smell. This sort of bad taste is due to the large quantity of sulfur in the water. Sometimes, the tap water contains more amount of sulfur. When the RO system does not remove all sulfur, then the resulting water taste is like a rotten egg.

On the opposite side, the bad smell is also due to the damage of the filter in the system. The damage filter & membrane will not altogether remove the sulfur from the water. In addition to it, when the system does not function for a long time, it causes a rotten egg smell. The sanitization of the system is essential to eliminate the rotten egg smell.

4. Salty & Sour

The fourth bad taste of the water is the salty and sour taste. The salty & sour taste is also due to the TDS. The quantity of dissolved solids and salts in the water causes this kind of taste. The functioning of the reverse osmosis system cannot eliminate the TDS. As a result, the resulting water is with a salty and sour taste.

5. Tap water like the taste

The fifth bad taste of RO water is just like a taste of tap water. When you notice such taste, then it means that there is a problem with the RO membrane. The rupture and the damaged RO membrane needs to replace instantly. Otherwise, this membrane will affect the life of the system also.

Reasons for the foul odor or bad taste of water

There are many reasons for the foul odor of the RO water. The depleted filter and also the worn-out membrane are the leading causes of the bad taste. You can efficiently resolve this problem by replacing the depleted components. After that, the taste of water again becomes excellent. 

Subsequently, the store water also requires changing periodically. So then, there are no bubbles and air in the water. Consequently, there is no more bad taste of the RO water.

Bottom line

The bad taste of RO water is not a major issue. The reason for the bad taste is the malfunctioning of the system. With time, the filters and the membrane of the system deteriorate. Even some other parts of the system also deteriorate. Moreover, the system needs regular cleaning and sanitizing. Thereby, the taste of water never goes bad. The bad taste of RO water can easily solve by you. 

The replacing of the RO filters is also necessary after their lifespan. You have to check the filters from time to time. The filter needs to change after every 6 to 8 months. The semi-permeable membrane of the RO system has a long lifespan. The membrane requires changing after every two years.

 With the replacing of the filters, there is a requirement of the service after three months. This service is excellent for the maintenance of the system. Therefore, the taste of water remains good. You can instantly solve the issue of RO water tastes bad.